


Family Ties

by Helgabat



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Family Drama, Gabriel A+ parenting, Gen, Identity Reveal, Miraculous team rules, Ok some secrets, Peacock! Adrien, Sorry Not Sorry, There's no secrets in my fic, expect angst, i hurt the cat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2019-12-18 10:37:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 43,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18248135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helgabat/pseuds/Helgabat
Summary: What if Adrien had transformed when he was falling from the skyscraper? And Ladybug had learnt his identity? Even worse, Hawkmoth had confirmed his suspicions? What would they do? (Post - Gorizilla) (Cross-posted in FF).





	1. November

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, guys!! First of all, let me just say that this is the first work I've posted here, so I'm still learning the ropes of the Archive. Anyway, I've already posted it on FanFiction (It's not finished yet), so I'll be uploading the finished chapters here with some edits. Hope you like it, and please give me feedback, whether it's good or bad, just don't be rude xD  
> Enjoy the reading!

    “Let go of Adrien! RIGHT NOW!” screamed Ladybug as she pulled her yoyo to open Gorizilla’s hand, by doing so, the massive monster’s hand stretched to the edge of the building, now serving as the only protection between Adrien and the ground a few hundred feet below.

    “C’mon Adrien, jump!” ordered the scarlet heroine, already losing strength as she kept pulling her weapon. Adrien looked at the ground, hesitating at the great height, he really didn’t want to find out what falling from that distance could do to a body, no sir, he would rather try to jump anywhere else. Except that he really didn’t have anywhere else, the ground below, where his fans were looking up, was his only option. And then Ladybug asked him to trust her, and all his hesitations vanished like smoke. What was he thinking, of course, his Lady knew what she was doing, she would catch him, he was only making her work harder by taking so long to jump, he would always trust her, so he answered.

    “Always!” and jumped.

    What neither of them expected, was for Gorizilla to catch Ladybug mid-air, stopping her from saving Adrien.

    The model heard her scream for him, realizing that maybe this time, Ladybug would not be able to save him, but he couldn’t transform either, everyone would find out his double life, he started to panic as all his fans faces were starting to get more and more detailed.

* * *

 

    Meanwhile, in his lair, Hawkmoth was watching the scene unfold, not knowing what to do. His son was Chat Noir, right? He could transform and save himself… right? Should he order his lackey to drop Ladybug, and let her save him, possibly losing against her again? Or should he wait and see if Adrien would transform? He had to decide quickly, his son’s life was at stake.

* * *

 

    “Adrien, you better transform, or you’ll end up worse than a gooey pile of camembert,” Plagg said, the small kwami was starting to panic as he saw his chosen approach the ground at an alarming speed.

    “I can’t Plagg! Everyone will find out!”

    “Adrien, TRANSFORM NOW!” Plagg demanded, now seriously fearing for his kitten life.

    “Ok, PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!!” and with this, black leather enveloped civilian clothes, as a green light shone through a slim body, and everyone gasped.

    “WHAT?? Adrien is-“ Ladybug’s brain short-circuited watching the transformation happening a few feet below her, and apparently, that revelation surprised Gorizilla too, as the akumatized man, let go of her and took a few steps back.

    Chat Noir ignored all the gasps from the onlookers, and with a massive force, fuelled only by adrenaline, stabbed his baton on the building to stop his fall. Once he was safe again, he went to his lady’s side, to help her. He ignored how his lady looked at him, still trying to pierce all the events that happened together. Was that disappointment she was feeling? Her face was set on a frown, what did she expect he would do? Die? Was she disappointed by who wore the mask of the black cat? Of course, she would be, he was just a rich shallow model behind the mask, he only had his looks going for him. But he couldn’t focus on that now, they had a villain to defeat, and they better do it quickly, he just wanted to go home at this point, go home, and never get out of bed sounded like a good plan, to avoid all the media circus that was by now waiting to hound him for sure.

    One Cataclysm later, and Gorizilla was defeated. Without uttering a word Ladybug purified the Akuma, and was more than ready to go home, however, when she was starting to leave, Chat Noir called her.

    “Ladybug, wait! I need to explain!”

    “There’s nothing to explain, Chat. You just did what you had to, you had to save your life” She said coldly and with a stiff posture. Chat tried to put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but as she flinched at the motion, he gave up on that idea.

“You’re disappointed, aren’t you?” he asked, tears already wanting to escape his eyes, he bit his lip, to hold them, he couldn’t be seen as weak, that wasn’t worthy of an Agreste, he had to keep appearances behind the mask as well now, what would his father say, if he saw him cry. OH GOD!! His father! What would he do, he would never be able to get out of the house after this, after the stunt he pulled, his father would for sure, take his ring away, and lock him in his room, he would stay there until he got old!! The cat hero, started to hyperventilate as his train of thoughts started to derail to what would his life be, after this day, freedom had tasted so good, he didn’t know if he would handle losing it after getting such a taste.

     Two red-gloved hands rested on his shoulders, pulling him out from his panic attack, that’s what it took for his lady to get his attention, she just needed to touch him, how ridiculous of him, to love someone that much.

    “Look at me! I’m not disappointed, it’s just, that you- you’re you, and I’m me, and I’m not making any sense right now! But I can’t think clearly, I need to go and cool down, but I promise that I would never leave you! I- I- just go need! I mean, to need go! I mean, I just, just need to go, I’m sorry…” She stuttered, looking at him, with what seemed a sad, confused, worried expression?

* * *

 

  ‘So it’s true! He really is Chat Noir’ Hawkmoth thought, dropping his transformation. Noroo floated in front of him, an apprehensive look on his face.

    “Master, what will you do now that you know?”

    “I can’t hurt Adrien, he’s my son, Emily would never forgive me” answered Gabriel, struggling with his emotions.

    “He will need to lose that ring, I won’t have him gallivanting as an obnoxious superhero in the night…”

    “Master, I’m sorry, but the bond between a chosen and their kwami is very strong, I don’t think you’ll convince him to give you the ring”

    “Watch your tongue Noroo!! If I can’t convince him, I’m going to show him what I’m fighting for, he loves his mother, he won’t be able to say no.”

    “Don’t you think that will destroy him?” Noroo risked asking this, but he really was worried about the boy, the kwami had never interacted with him, but he had seen him, plenty of times; that boy was so kind, he was the only light this house had since Mrs Agreste got sick, he was afraid that his master would extinguish that light with his plans.

    “Nonsense, Noroo! I’m doing this for him too, he can’t live without his mother, she was the one who could understand him, I know how he changed after I told him she went missing, I’m aware of his depression, I thought school was enough to cheer him, but it’s not” The designer was plenty aware of how formal Adrien got around him over time, of how their relationship seemed to strain farther and farther every day, he knew that eventually, that would end up hurting them both.

    “Maybe, getting your attention is enough for him, you should eat with him sometimes, you know? Work on your relationship-”

    That was the limit for Gabriel’s patience “ENOUGH!! What do you know about relationships, about parenting? You are just a simple little creature, whose only purpose is to serve me, you hear me? I don’t want to hear any more of this”.

* * *

 

  Chat Noir sighed, as he watched Ladybug leave. She said she wasn’t disappointed, but the way she behaved, so close on herself, Was she afraid of him? Maybe it was his social status or something? He didn’t know, what he did know, was the oddly silence below. He looked down there, and to his utter surprise, all the media had vanished. His ring beeped, shaking him out of thought, he had to go home and embrace whatever was expecting him there.

    When he got to the manor, there was a lack of news vans on his front gate “That’s odd! Thought they would be all over here by now” He muttered. He jumped to his room, and detransformed.

“Ohhhh!! My poor stomach, running empty, I need cheese!!” Adrien didn’t answer, to busy checking his phone. No calls, no messages, the last article related to his name was of a fashion show he had participated.

“ADRIEEEEENNN!! Give me cheeeeese!!” Plagg pleaded, always the drama queen.

“You know where to find it, Plagg. I have much more serious business to attend to.” Adrien answered turning on the TV and changing to TVI.

    “Once again, Ladybug and Chat Noir save the day, this time, Gabriel’s heir was involved, as the akumatized man was his bodyguard. As always, no serious incidents were reported, as Ladybug’s powers fixed every building…” Nadja Chamack’s voice trailed off, on the details of the akumatization, never once mentioning Adrien’s name as the boy behind Chat Noir.

* * *

 

  Gabriel turned off the TV on his study, “So no one knows? Maybe “Miraculous Ladybug” erased that from everybody minds” If that was true, how did he still remembered what happened, maybe it didn’t affect the holders. That changed plans, he would have to play his cards differently and play them right. “Maybe that’s for the best.” He smirked.


	2. Take me somewhere nice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette freaks out, Adrien goes to school and Gabriel plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Take me somewhere nice - Mogwai

    A girl wearing spots jumped into a balcony on the top of a building that consisted of a bakery and a few apartments. From there, she opened a hatch on the floor and entered the bedroom below, dropping her transformation.

    A red creature floated from her earrings, while the girl, looking as calm as someone who will explode any minute, went to the small sink on the corner of her room to rinse her face with water.

    “Marinette… I- I honestly don’t know what to say…” said the red kwami. Tikki didn’t really know what to make of this situation, never before had she and Plagg belonged to humans so young, and so dramatic too.

    “It’s okay, Tikki. I know you couldn’t tell me his identity… Chat’s identity… Adrien’s…” With that, Marinette started to tremble, her knees buckled, and her whole frame fell to the floor, while her eyes widened. “OH MY GOD, TIKKI!! Adrien is Chat Noir, I kissed Adrien, Adrien loves Ladybug, I KISSED ADRIEN!! TIKKI!!”

    Tikki floated in front of her face, attempting to calm her chosen down “But that’s wonderful, Marinette, that means he loves you…”

    “No Tikki, can’t you see? He loves Ladybug, not me!! He’s so amazing, and I’m just, I’m just me!! I’m nothing next to him… And he transformed in front of all that people to save his life, because I was trapped, and I just left him…” She whispered, regretting every single decision she took after learning his identity. “I’m such a horrible person, Tikki, I left him there, to deal with the aftermath of his reveal alone… The media must be hounding him…”

    “Not exactly, Marinette… You see, when you cast the restoration spell, I made sure, that that part of the battle was also set right, so everyone forgot about it, except you, because you’re Ladybug, and Adrien, because it affected him directly” Tikki explained, much to Marinette’s relief.

    “That’s good, I guess..” The bluenette hesitated “But… I… That doesn’t change how far away from my league he is, if today has taught me anything, was how perfect Adrien really is, I thought he was perfect before, but now, he, he has to conciliate his crazy schedule with being Chat Noir, he must be so exhausted, and he still manages to be kind to everyone. Oh, Tikki!! I really don’t have any chance with him, I can’t even look at him now…”

    “Marinette, you are so much more amazing than you realize, you are the youngest chosen I had ever had, and you still manage to be one of the best! Please give yourself a chance…”

    Marinette felt a warmth on her chest when she listened to Tikki’s words, her kwami always knew how to cheer her, the bluenette couldn’t even fathom the idea of losing her, she didn’t think she would ever be able to cope with such a loss.

    The designer still didn’t know how she would deal with Adrien at school, but now, she had to go to bed, and try to sleep, or else, she wouldn’t be able to go to school at all.

* * *

 

 Meanwhile, a much more famous designer, standing with his hands clenched behind his back, was staring intently at the painting of his beloved partner. Behind him, his always stoic assistant, now with a subtle baffled expression, was looking between her employer and the painting that seemed to haunt the room.

    “Are you sure, sir? That plan sounds too risky! Adrien won’t like that at all… you might lose your son after this…”

    “I know Nathalie… but he will have his mother, I will have my wife back” Gabriel answered, never taking his eyes off the painting.

    “I thought you didn’t want to hurt your son, isolating him will certainly do that.”

    “I’m going to keep him safe, it’s finally time for him to help me, and even if something happens, my wish will set everything right again, there will be no more mourning in this house,” Gabriel explained, approaching the painting. After releasing a sigh, he moved the portrait to reveal a hidden safe, once he opened it, he picked a piece of jewellery, one that was very dear to Emilie, and tucked it inside his pocket.

    Nathalie’s eyes followed his every movement. Rationally, she knew what her employer was doing was wrong, it was very wrong, on the other side, her heart didn’t let her do anything about that, she quirked an eyebrow at that. When did her heart win against her brain? How did this man, this cold, calculating man, managed to crawl his way into her heart? When did he gain so much power over her?

    She placed a hand on his shoulder “I’ll always have your back, sir, we’re going to get her back.”

    “I can’t thank you enough for your loyalty, Nathalie. You really are the perfect assistant.”

    She stared adoringly at the designer, for now, his compliments were more than enough to keep her going.

* * *

 

Adrien sighed against the car window as he stared at the front of his school, filling with students. He knew he had no reason to panic, no one remembered what happened, at least the news didn’t mention it, and he thought that a reveal like that was worthy of a few headlines.

    He saw the Gorilla looking at him through the rear-view mirror. Right, he needed to go to school. The blond opened the car door and walked towards his best friend.

    “Hey, dude! You totally need to listen to this new song I’ve found!!”

    _‘Good, he didn’t mention it’_ Adrien thought, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Hi, Nino! Of course, I will, the one you sent me last time was so cool, by the way” he answered.

    “Of course it was! When it comes to music, your bro will always have your back, you need to learn all the masterpieces there are!”

    “Thanks, bro!” Adrien smiled at his friend, Nino’s friendship was one of the best things that ever happened since he started public school.

    “Anytime, du- Look! It’s the girls, let’s meet them!”  the DJ exclaimed while running towards Alya and Marinette, not even waiting for Adrien. The model released a chuckle at his best friend’s antics, Nino had fallen so hard for Alya, there was no way he could deny it.

    Nino hugged Alya and waved at Marinette, earning a teasing greeting from the latter, it must have been something snarky, as both Nino and Alya went beet red after that.

    Despite all the bantering, as soon as Adrien approached them to greet them as well, he saw Marinette’s expression change to one of panic, her eyes widened, as she avoided looking at him, it almost seemed that she was trying to hide behind Alya.

    “Morning, Adrien!! Has Nino showed you the new song he found? He couldn’t stop nagging me about it, like, it’s not that good Nino…” and with this, Alya earned a gasp from her boyfriend, who immediately started to point out reasons on why Thom Yorke was a genius.

    Adrien started to laugh, his friends managing to lift his spirits for the second time that day. He then looked at Marinette, who was distracted, watching Alya and Nino bickering each other. She still looked oddly tense, at least, tenser than usual. He didn’t know why, but whenever he would approach her, she started to stutter and acting like she was uncomfortable being near him, maybe it was his father that intimidated her, Adrien knew she wanted to be a designer, he should surprise her one day, maybe he should try to convince his father to accept her on a Summer internship, she was so talented, there wasn’t anyone else who deserved to succeed in fashion as much as her.

    “Hi, Marinette!” He waved. The bluenette immediately choked, pulling Alya’s arm.

    “Girl, what are you doing?” questioned the redhead, startled by her best friend.

    “H-H-Hi, Ad-d-drien!” As soon as she waved, she pulled Alya’s arm harder, signalling her to go inside.

    “Ok, girl! Geez, what is wrong with you today?” Alya protested while being dragged by the secret heroine, leaving the boys behind in awe.

 

    “Nino, do you think Marinette will ever like me?” Adrien asked. He was starting to worry he would never befriend Marinette.

    The teen didn’t know why, but his best friend just started to laugh patting his shoulder “Dude, you really are blind, aren’t you? She likes you, trust me.”

    Adrien didn’t object that, this wasn’t the first time they had this conversation, and Nino always made sure that Marinette liked him, however, she was so different with everyone else, making him question if she really was his friend.

* * *

 

“Okay girl, are you going to explain why you dragged me all the way to the classroom?” Marinette didn’t answer her, instead, she just kept herself busy with taking her notes from the backpack.

    “MARINETTE!! Why are you so fidgety today? Why were you avoiding Adrien like the plague? Did something happen?” Her best friend asked.

    Marinette wanted to tell her, she really did, but, how could she? She wasn’t supposed to know Adrien was Chat Freaking Noir!! Her sweet, kind Adrien, was also the obnoxious, but also wonderful partner, he was leagues above her. “It’s nothing, Alya. I just realized I will never have a chance with Adrien…” The heroine sighed looking at her desk.

    “What’s that, Mari? You are so amazing, and Adrien will see that someday” Alya tried to cheer her “I mean if he hadn’t already. I’ve seen the way he looks at you sometimes. And girl, let me tell you, those are not ‘just a friend’ looks. Even if he’s in denial now, he will come to his senses, you’ll see”.

    Marinette made a small smile at hearing her best friend, but she had decided, she spent the entire night thinking about it, this was for the best… she thought… “I’ve already made up my mind, Alya. I will try to move on from him. I’m just going to focus on my studies and my designs.”

    “Are you sure, Marinette?”

    “I am, a hundred per cent.” As she finished the sentence, Nino and Adrien entered the classroom and sat on their seats, right in front of them. Adrien turned behind with a small smile of what looked like encouragement and looked at her. ‘Okay, eighty per cent sure’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I didn’t really reveal anything useful in this one, did I? Don’t worry, this is just the calm before the storm, and what a storm… this is so far from ending xD.  
> Next Chapter: Plans start to be set in motion. Expect angst, MUCH ANGST, AHAHAH!! Sorry, just got excited... I’ll let myself out.


	3. Jigsaw Falling Into Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette has some realizations, enter Master Fu, Gabriel is sneaky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Jigsaw Falling Into Place (thumbs down version) - Radiohead

    After a horribly frustrating day of avoiding Adrien at school without looking suspicious at the same time, Marinette was finally home. She sat on her desk chair, dropping her bag carelessly on the floor “OUCHH!! Marinette, watch it!!” Tikki protested.

    “Sorry, Tikki! It’s just today was so exhausting, between avoiding Adrien, the classes, and evading Alya’s questioning stares, I’m so tired.”

    “Well, you don’t have to avoid Adrien, you know? You need to stop putting him on a pedestal, Marinette! What will he think of your behaviour? You might have given him the impression that you’re angry at him or something. You’re being so unfair to him, he didn’t do anything wrong, and it’s like you’re punishing him.”

    “I know Tikki, and I feel so awful for that! But what am I supposed to do? I need to put some distance between us if I want to focus on school and my other activities. I wish I could just talk to him like a normal person, and simply be his friend, but I can’t. At least, not for now, give me a few days, and I’ll start to talk to him and be there for him.” Marinette rested her head on her arms. She wanted to give a chance for their friendship to blossom, but she would start to do that after she stopped stuttering and shaking like a leaf whenever he was present.

    The designer and her kwami stayed in a comfortable silence for a while. Tikki was eating a macaron, while Marinette was still resting her head on the desk, thinking off all the events that happened in the last days. Suddenly, she came to a realization, a dark thought crossed her mind making her eyes go wide.

    “Hey, Tikki?” she jumped from her chair.

    “Yes?” The kwami stopped eating, turning all her attention to her chosen.

    “If I and Adrien still remember what happened, do you think Hawkmoth knows as well? Since he has a miraculous?”

    “OH… I hadn’t thought of that! I honestly don’t know, Marinette, but I think that might be a possibility” Tikki answered slowly, she as well worrying that that could have happened.

    “Adrien might be in danger, we need to see Master Fu, now! We should prepare ourselves for the worst. Tikki, SPOTS ON!”

    She transformed quickly and after climbing to her balcony, she started her journey to the massage parlour.

  

* * *

 

    Ladybug jumped to a secluded alley and detransformed, she waited for the last customer to leave and then went inside the parlour. She knocked twice on Master Fu’s door and after hearing to come in, she stepped inside the room.

    “What brings you here, Ladybug?”

    “Master Fu, something happened.” She said, sitting crossed-leg in front of the Chinese man. The guardian stood, and grabbed a kettle.

    “Do you want some tea, Marinette?” He offered.

    “No thank you, I’d rather go straight to the point of my visit, it’s kind of urgent” Marinette answered getting restless.

    “You know, Marinette, sometimes it is better to slow down and enjoy a cup of tea, you don’t imagine the wonders it does to the mind” He sat again holding two cups of tea, offering her one.

    The heroine was getting restless by now. She saw Master Fu like guidance, but sometimes he was just too patient. Master Fu seemed to notice her fidgeting “Okay, tell me what happened.”

    Marinette proceeded to tell everything that happened during the Akuma attack, and how everyone forgot the reveal. “So, do you think Hawkmoth knows?”

    “Well, I don’t remember anything related to that, which means the restoration spell also affected me, and I’m a miraculous holder. But we’re not taking chances, we’re going to activate the others, you’ll give them their miraculous, and they’ll keep them until this situation is solved. We need as much help as we can get.”

    “Thank you, Master. We won’t disappoint you, I promise!”

    “I know you won’t, Ladybug.” Master Fu smiled. He went to the gramophone and opened the Miraculous box, taking the fox and the bee, he then reached for the bracelet on his wrist and handed them to Marinette “Take these with you, Ladybug. Use them wisely and guide your team as I know you can. Good luck!”

    “Thank you, Master Fu!” She bowed and left.

* * *

 

    Nino and Alya were studying together in Nino’s bedroom. French was a total nightmare for Nino, he just didn’t understand how knowing about Verne’s writing style was important for whatever he chose to do in the future. Alya, on the other hand, loved anything related to literature, so she helped through the homework.

    “I don’t know Alya! Maybe he really means what he’s writing, why do we have to overthink everything?”

    “C’mon Nino, this one is super easy!” Alya sighed.

    Suddenly, they heard tapping on the window, and when they looked, there was Ladybug, signalling to let her in. Alya was the first to react, as she rapidly climbed to her feet, and opened the window, allowing the superheroine to come in.

    “Ladybug, what a surprise! Is there an Akuma?” Alya questioned excitedly.

    “Don’t worry, there’s no Akuma.” She said, taking two octagonal boxes and raising them in front of them “Alya Cesaire, Nino Lahiffe, once more Paris needs your help, are you willing to take the mantle of Rena Rouge and Carapace again to aid me and Chat Noir?”

    “YOU’RE RENA ROUGE?” Nino asked perplexed.

“Of course, dummy, can you imagine anyone better?”

“Well, actually, no. Aren’t you surprised that I’m Carapace?”

Alya chuckled and bopped his nose “Oh sweet, innocent Nino, you can never fool me.”

Nino stared in awe at his girlfriend astuteness, he then shook his head as he noticed something “Ladybug, if there’s no Akuma, why do you need our help? And you forgot to tell us to return them”

“Well, something happened, I can’t tell you what, what matters is that Chat Noir and I need permanent help, for now, so you’ll be able to keep your miraculous for a while, at least until the situation is solved.” Ladybug explained.

Alya quirked an eyebrow, her curiosity was getting at her “Are you sure you can’t tell us? We promise we won’t tell anybody!”

“Sorry, Alya. All I can say is that’s something related to identities, I promise I’ll tell you everything after it’s over, can I count on you?”

“ALWAYS!” They said in unison.

“Thank you, I should go now. Take care!” The heroine said leaving immediately.

* * *

 

Chloé was in her bedroom, laptop on her lap, looking at the latest Gabriel catalogue “I’m am so going to buy these shoes.” She muttered to no one.

“You should totally do that!” Chloé jumped at the voice behind her. She looked at the origin of the voice and was met with a smirking Ladybug.

“Ladybug! You scared me!”

“I’m sorry, Chloé! That wasn’t my intention.”

“I can see that!” Chloé muttered sarcastically.

“Anyway, something happened, I can’t tell you what, but I need your aid, Chloé Bourgeois, will you accept the miraculous of the Bee, and aid me and Chat Noir? In a more permanent way?”

The blonde gasped “That means I get to keep Pollen?”

“For a while, yes.”

She squealed in excitement and opened the box, which shone immediately, revealing the bee kwami.

“My queen!”

“Pollen, oh I missed you so much! Thank you, Ladybug”

“You welcome. Use it wisely, Chloé, I’m trusting you with this.” The heroine warned.

“Of course, I promise you, I won’t abuse my power.”

“Great! I need to go now, goodbye!” She smiled and left.

Chloé ran to the window, to watch the spotted heroine leave, getting smaller and smaller at every leap. “Thank you for trusting me, Ladybug” she whispered.

* * *

 

Adrien dropped to the bed, face hitting the pillow and closed his eyes for a second.

“Well, no one knows, we can celebrate, I happen to have just the perfect cheese for the occasion!” a voice said right next to his ear.

“Plagg, you glutton!” He sighed, raising to his elbows.

“What’s the matter lover boy?”

“Don’t you think Marinette was acting weird today? She seemed more nervous than usual.”

“Ohhh!! Is baker girl digging a hole in that heart of yours? You seem awfully worried about her today.” Plagg teased.

“Marinette is just a friend, Plagg!” Adrien laughed “She just seemed so fidgety, maybe a certain cat should visit her tonight!”

“Well, I know of a certain cat who won’t be able to go anywhere, if he doesn’t give any cheese to his source of power!”

“Okay, Plagg, I got it!” Adrien chuckled, messing with Plagg’s small fur, he stood and went to the cabinet where the cheese was. He then opened the door, clamping his nose with his fingers, not to smell the atrocious aroma and grabbed a wheel, throwing it to Plagg, who caught it graciously. For a creature so small, Plagg was fast. A knock on the door interrupted Adrien’s contemplation of his kwami, he signalled for Plagg to hide, and said, “Come in!”

Nathalie stepped inside, sporting her usual emotionless expression “Your father is waiting for you in the dining room, dinner is ready to be served.”

The model stood incredulously “He-he's in there? I’m going to eat with him?” He knew he shouldn’t get so excited at such a trivial activity, however, although for other families eating meals together was a daily occurrence, in the Agreste household, meal times, usually meant Adrien having to eat alone, while Nathalie or the Gorilla, stood next to the table waiting for him in silence.

“So, are you coming?” Nathalie asked impatiently.

“YES! I mean, of course, let me just turn off the computer, and I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay, I’ll tell your father.”

“Thank you, Nathalie!” Adrien answered. He was so happy, he couldn’t even remember the last time he ate with his father.

“Isn’t this wonderful, Plagg?”

“Kid, you are way too excited! It’s just a meal.” Plagg commented.

“I know, but I can’t help it! Please stay here while I’m downstairs, I’ll bring you cheese when I come back.”

“Okay, kid, have fun with your old man.”

The model smiled and left.

* * *

 

Gabriel was seating at the end of the table, Adrien’s seat was placed next to him, everything should be ready by now, all he had to do was wait.

Adrien walked to his seat, the designer could see how excited his son was, he looked like he was trying to hide his bouncing.  “Good evening, father!”

“Good evening, Adrien. How were classes today?” His son took a while to answer, looking at him like he grew a second head. Eventually, he said “Good! I mean, it was normal.”

“Well, I have some news for you, but I’ll tell you after dinner, for now, let’s enjoy the meal. Bon Appétit.”

“Merci, bon appétit, père!” And so, they started to eat in silence.

Adrien couldn’t be happier, he was eating with his father!! Yeah, maybe the room felt a little tense, and they weren’t talking that much, but who cares? He wasn’t alone for once, so he was going to enjoy it! Even if he was starting to feel sleepy, and his body surprisingly heavy. He lost force on his arm and dropped his fork, the world started to move slower. The blond looked at his father and tried to apologize for his behaviour, however, it seemed that he didn’t have the energy to speak. The world got slower and slower until suddenly, everything faded to black.

Gabriel watched as his son’s body sprawled on the table, his face not hitting the plate by luck. He stood and approached his son from behind, grabbing the boy’s right hand softly, he brushed his fingers on his son’s own fingers in a gesture that held such tenderness from an outsider’s point of view. He grabbed the ring and pulled it, holding it between his fingers, and sliding it to his pocket. The designer then proceeded to tuck Adrien on his lap, carefully not to hurt him “I think it’s time for you to go to bed, my son.” He whispered, kissing fondly his sleeping son’s forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter, now the real action has begun!!   
> I know that Nino and Chloé got their miraculous for the first time in later episodes. I considered that when I was starting to think about this fic, and I tried to imagine scenarios where I respected that, for example, having only Alya as a heroine, but I wanted them all. And then I thought, Thomas has said multiple times, that the episodes don’t have a specific order, the only ones you should watch in order are “Origins”, “Battle of Queens” and “Heroes day”, the rest of them I can watch in any order I want, so in this fic, “Gorizilla” happened after “Anansi” and “Battle of the queens”, and before “Heroes day", this one, in particular, won’t even happen in this fic, as my story arc has deviated from canon by now.  
> Next chapter: “I hope you rot in hell for what you did!! He will never forgive you, and you will never control me!” Guess who says this line? Ahahah, this one is easy.  
> See you next chapter 😊.


	4. Between the Bars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien panics, Plagg swears, Gabriel = worst father

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song - Elliot Smith – Between the bars

Sunlight tried to peek into his eyes, there was a warmth filling all his senses, something soft was covering his body, _‘You have to wake up, Kitty…’_ he heard Ladybug giggling. Suddenly, his head started to ache, it was a dull feeling, but jarring nonetheless.

    Adrien opened his eyes, closing them immediately as the light flooded his vision violently and flinched. He tried a second time, carefully now, anticipating the crippling light, and was successful. His body felt incredibly heavy, no matter how much force he put on moving his arms, they would not stir, not even an inch, his legs didn’t seem to move on his command either. ‘What the hell happened to me?’ he thought.

    Emerald eyes darted all around the place, inspecting the room he was lying in, and he concluded that it was his room indeed, he was lying face down on his bed.

“Plagg?” He whispered, not quite able to speak loudly, he wasn’t sure if that was from what was happening to him, or if it was pure fear. He waited for an answer and was met with silence. That was weird, usually, Plagg would answer to his calls, even if it was to only ask for cheese. “Plagg?” He tried again, louder this time to be sure his kwami could hear. Once again, no answer came.

    Adrien closed his eyes tightly ‘Okay, you are dreaming, you need to wake up’ he whispered. He opened his eyes for a third time, slowly, and moving his head down to face his fingers, he noticed something, or rather, the lack of something, that made his heart jump to his throat. “PLAGG! THIS IS NOT FUNNY!!” He screamed, panic now coursing through his system. He could finally move, but as the model was regaining control of his body, the ache on his head only grew, to a point when it became agonizing.

    After what seemed like an eternity, he managed to get up from the bed and started to look for his ring frantically, thrashing all his belongings in a futile attempt to rescue his dearest possession.

    His headache had developed to a state where he couldn’t even see clearly, as black spots permeated his visual field. His face was wet from the tears that have been released as if a dam had broken and were now making trails towards the floor beneath him. A sob racked through his body and his legs collapsed under him. Adrien fell to the floor, once more losing control of most of his own body. He managed to sit, and brought his knees up to his chest, resting his head on them, and closing his arms around his legs, in an attempt to shield himself from the world that had seemed to have lost all its colour.

 

* * *

 

    “UNHAND ME, YOU BASTARD!!” Plagg squirmed to try to escape from his attacker’s grip.

    “We’re almost there,” Gabriel said coldly, approaching his wife tomb. He then rested his flat palm on a small pillar that was next to the tomb, and a pedestal raised from the floor, a golden cage sat on top of the pedestal, making Plagg realise its purpose quickly.

    “I don’t know what kind of spell you have learnt to stop me from phasing through objects, or if you think that locking me up in a golden cage will make me bend to your will, but I can guarantee you that you’re mending with things way beyond your control and knowledge.” Plagg threatened.

    The designer didn’t answer, instead, he only chuckled. It was a dry and dark chuckle, enough to send a shiver through the kwami’s spine. In his distraction, he didn’t notice that Gabriel had locked him inside the cage. The older Agreste snapped his fingers, never taking his eyes from Plagg, and a purple blob floated from behind him, almost automatically.

    The kwami of destruction could only stare, mouth agape and widened eyes at the kwami in front of him, Noroo, the butterfly kwami, Hawkmoth’s kwami. A fresh wave of anger crashed into Plagg’s deep core, it was a fury that in all his millennials of existence he had never felt.

Fear, fury and betrayal, all coursed through the small kwami, and his eyes narrowed, a chilly look on his face, one that made justice to his power, completely directed at the source of all those feelings “You maggot!! I hope you rot in hell for what you did!! He will never forgive you, and you will never control me! You may have locked me up without a chance to get out, but I will never bend to your will as Noroo did! I only listen to my chosen’s requests!”

    “Well, I don’t exactly need to control you, do I little kwami?” Gabriel smirked and left, leaving a shouting kwami behind.

* * *

 

    Gabriel knocked on his son’s door and waited for an answer. After hearing no signs of life from the other side, he opened it “Adrien? Are you still sleeping?” He asked.

    The designer was expecting to see his son sleeping, or possibly waking up, the effects of the drug he had put on his food still lingering. What he didn’t expect was the mess his son’s room was, like some war had happened inside, everything was thrashed ‘How did he have this much energy?’ Gabriel wondered. Upon further inspecting, he heard quiet sobs coming from the bathroom “Adrien, are you in there?” He asked with caution, slowly approaching the source of the noises.

    “Ple-Please le-leave…” He heard Adrien speaking between gasps. Gabriel concluded that he must have been looking for his miraculous, ending up in that state. A great urge to comfort his child rose inside the designer upon seeing him seating on the floor, head buried between his legs, shaking, sobbing and gasping for air uncontrollably. Gabriel embraced him immediately, petting his hair, which earned a flinch from Adrien, who was suddenly met with such a rare gesture from his father. The last time they were this close, was when Gabriel broke the news of Emilie’s “disappearance”.

    “Shhh! It’s okay, Adrien, it’s okay…” He whispered, slender fingers passing through soft blond hair. Adrien melted into his father’s affections, still sobbing and shaking, muttering incoherent words, pressing his head against his father’s chest.

    “I don’t know what happened, son, but we will fix everything, I promise you that...” He paused, preparing himself for the words that would come out from his mouth next “I knew allowing you to go to school was a bad idea, you have everything you need right here with me…”.

    Adrien froze upon hearing his father’s reasoning, he broke the hug and looked at his father with wide, red-rimmed eyes “Wh-What?” He whispered, his voice shaking.

    “I don’t want you to go to that school anymore, that’s what I was going to tell you after dinner, it is far too dangerous, there are too many Akuma attacks going on there, you almost died in the last one.”

    “Pl-Please, don’t do that! I wasn’t even at school during the last Akuma, my bodyguard was akumatized!” Adrien pleaded, more tears now flowing from his eyes.

    “I’m sorry, son, but my decision is final! Don’t see this as a punishment, I’m only doing my role as a father trying to protect you.” Gabriel explained. The designer didn’t know what he said, but he noticed the shift in Adrien’s expression, like something snapped inside of him.

    Adrien jumped to his feet, glaring at his father with a look that resembled Emilie’s far too much when she was furious, which only broke Gabriel’s heart even more. With a fresh wave of energy, the teenager spoke “What. Do. You. Know. About. That?”

    “I’m sorry?”

    “I asked, what do you know about being a father? You haven’t been a father to me since mother disappeared!! You have always treated me like a puppet you could pull and pull until I did what you wanted! You’ve always treated me like I was just some piece of furniture in this house for you to ignore since then! And now you’re worried about my safety??” Adrien shouted.

    Gabriel could only stand gobsmacked at his son’s sudden change of demeanour, never in his life had Adrien spoken to him like that “Watch it, son!” He threatened.

    “OR WHAT?? YOU’RE GOING TO LOCK ME INSIDE MY ROOM?” Adrien chuckled dryly “THAT DOESN’T AFFECT ME ANYMORE, IM USED TO THAT!! SOMETIMES I WISH YOU WERE THE ONE THAT WENT MISSING INSTEAD OF MOM!!”

    _SMACK!_ Gabriel’s hand outstretched to one side of Adrien’s face. Silence lingered in the room, as the two occupants stared at each other perplexed at what had just happened. The younger Agreste touched his now red and burning cheek as if trying to process if that was indeed real.    

    Words were now extremely hard to come out of the older Agreste mouth. He had hit his son! How could he? His son’s words acted as a trigger to him and he lost all his composure “Ade- Adrien… I’m sorry, I didn’t… this was never my intention!” He stuttered for the first time in front of his child. The last time the designer stuttered was when he had asked Emilie to marry him he remembered.

    Adrien straightened his posture, never taking his eyes from his father. Despite the tears that were flowing on his cheeks, his face didn’t hold any emotion “Could you please leave? I want to be alone” He asked monotonously.

    “I uh, okay, I’ll leave” He paused “But you have to give me your phone, I don’t want you to speak to your so-called friends, I bet that this new behaviour of yours was influenced by them.”

    His son could only let out a dark chuckle at that, he grabbed his phone from his desk “You really don’t get it, do you?” He muttered, handing his phone to his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked, see you next chapter.


	5. What He wrote

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien stays home, Marinette is late, Miss Bustier is here? Nathalie helps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Laura Marling – What He wrote

Silence, a deafening silence was all Adrien could hear while alone in his room. This silence was only interrupted by the buzzing of his alarm clock, signalling it was time to wake up. He had been awake all night actually, just like the previous nights since he fought with his father.

    The model sighed, shutting down the alarm. “Monday – 7 AM” he read and closed his eyes, not having the energy to get out of bed, just like the previous days since he fought with his father. So, he only lied on his bed, staring blankly at his ceiling, today was going to be his first day of home-schooling; a feeling of dread overwhelmed him. He should be used to this, this was just like old times, however, after experiencing real school, and real friendships, Adrien couldn’t go back to his old life.  He truly felt alone now, this was worse than before. Before he had his mum with him. Before he didn’t know what freedom meant, he was innocent, he had never had a taste of it. But now, now that he had learnt about all those concepts, he couldn’t let them go.

    A knock interrupted his train of thoughts, and he heard Nathalie’s voice from the other side “Adrien, are you ready? Lessons start in half an hour.”

    “I’m coming!” Adrien concluded it was better not to fight, his father would always get his way.

    He rose to his feet and would almost call for Plagg out of reflex, and that’s when a fresh wave of sadness hit him. Plagg wasn’t there anymore, he had lost his miraculous, he had let his kwami down, Paris down, and most importantly, he had let his Lady down. What would she think of him? Perhaps she would think he had abandoned her, but he hadn’t meant to, he had been incompetent enough to lose his ring, and now everyone else would pay that price. Maybe it was for the best, his Lady would be better off without him, he was only a sidekick who got influenced by Akumas too many times, he only dragged Ladybug behind.

    Tears pooled once more from his eyes, Adrien didn’t think that was possible by how much he had cried these last days, but here he was, pathetic as always, weeping silently.

    The model shook his head and cleaned his tears, he had to get ready, the sooner he started with the lessons, the sooner he could go back to his room. Because this was his new reality, one that he remembered well, so he might get used to that.

* * *

 

“Marinette, wake up!! You’re going to be late for school!” Tikki pulled her chosen’s covers.

    Marinette’s face scrunched up at the sudden cold, and opened her eyes “Tikki, I’m sure I have one more minu- AHH!” She bolted from her bed, as her Kwami held her phone signalling the time “I’m going to be late!!” The bluenette panicked running to the bathroom while taking off her pyjamas. Tikki could only chuckle at her chosen’s antics.

    The teen got dressed quickly, and shoved her homework into her backpack, running to the kitchen.

    “Good morning, sweetie! Did you sleep well?” Her father asked, kissing her forehead.

    “I did, papa, but I have to go, I’m already late” Marinette grabbed an apple and bolted to the bakery, she had to come up with an excuse for Miss Bustier on her way to school, and a good one, since she couldn’t always say she had a cold or a fever.

    Marinette ran to the bakery and grabbed the lunch her mother had prepared for her “Have a good day at school, sweetie!!” Her mother smiled at her while giving the change to a customer.

    “You too, mama!!” She shouted as she ran.

    The designer ran all the way to school, only coming to a stop right before entering her classroom. She rested her hands on her knees and breathed heavily, recovering from the early jog “You have to slow down, Marinette!” Her kwami advised, touching tenderly her chosen’s cheek. “I know, Tikki, it’s just, I spent all night thinking about Adrien! I’m going to talk to him today, I’m going to be his friend, a true friend, I’m ready! And I’m going to call him, Chat-him, to meet me tonight to speak, I don’t want him to feel like I’m mad at him or something”

    “Oh, Marinette! I’m so proud of you!! You really deserve to be Ladybug!”

    “Thanks, Tikki! Now hide!” She giggled and entered the classroom.

  

* * *

 

Marinette entered the classroom discretely, trying to pass unnoticed, but as soon as she looked at the room, she realized she hadn’t to do that. All the students were chatting with each other, and Miss Bustier was nowhere in sight.

    The bluenette sat on her usual spot next to Alya “Morning, Alya! Where’s Miss Bustier?”

    “Hey, girl! How can you be always lucky with your tardiness? Mr Damocles called her to his office.” Alya explained.

    Marinette looked around the room, Kim must have said a joke as Max, Alix, Rose and Juleka were all laughing, Chloé was showing Sabrina a bracelet, it probably was a new purchase, based on how much she was bragging about it and the look of admiration on Sabrina’s face. ‘Old habits die hard’ the bluenette thought, although Chloé was making steady steps into becoming a better person, she still liked to brag a bit too much.

    She then smiled at her best friend talking to her boyfriend but lost her smile immediately when her eyes darted to the spot next to Nino, finding it vacant.

    “Hey, Nino! Where’s Adrien?”

    “Hey, Mari! I don’t know actually.” Nino answered with a worried expression. “I tried to call him all weekend, but he never answered, and he still hadn’t shown up.”

    “Oh!” Was all Marinette could answer. She frowned, now that she was finally ready to face him, and treat him as a friend, just like he deserved, he didn’t show up. Not only that, but he didn’t answer any of Nino’s calls. That was very unlike him.

    “C’mon, guys! I’m sure he had a modelling gig he had to go to, and you know how his father is, I bet his old man took his phone away to avoid any distractions, besides, it’s not the first time sunshine has disappeared because of modelling.”

    “You’re probably right, Alya, I bet he’ll be here tomorrow, if there’s one thing my dude can be as stubborn as his father, is school, he wouldn’t miss it for a long time.” Nino reasoned.

    That eased Marinette a bit, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something might be wrong with her partner.

* * *

 

    “What do you mean he’s not coming back?” Miss Bustier asked surprised.

    “His father’s assistant contacted me on Friday, she said that Mr Agreste didn’t want Adrien to study here anymore, due to the Akuma attacks, that he would be resuming his home-schooling.” Mr Damocles explained.

    “And this is the solution? To take him out of school in the middle of the year?” Miss Bustier questioned. To say that she was disappointed with the news she just heard was an understatement. Adrien was one of her favourite students. She was well aware of the coldness in his life, having lost his mother at such a young age, and such a strict father. She had noticed the despondent look Adrien had shown on career’s day, his father hadn’t shown up. On top of that, the boy had such a crazy schedule. However, he would always meet the expectations that were placed on his shoulders with a smile on his face. He was always kind to everyone, and although he didn’t grow up with kids his age and missed a lot of social clues, he was very mature for his age. The teacher felt that isolating him from the world would do more harm than good for the boy.

    “I don’t think this is wise, Mr Damocles. Adrien is one of my top students, he’s such a positive influence on the class and he appreciates school so much, there must be something we can do!” She reasoned.

    “You know how powerful the Agrestes are, Caline. If Gabriel Agreste wants something, who are we to stand in his way?”

    “We’re his son’s teachers, we need to defend Adrien’s rights before Gabriel Agreste’s wishes! This school is safe, it’s probably the only place Adrien can feel like a normal kid. This isn’t right!”

    “And I tried to explain that to his assistant, but they were very adamant on taking Adrien out of school. You know how the world works, it was never known for its fairness. You should better head back to class, that’s all that I needed to discuss with you.”

    Miss Bustier sighed, Mr Damocles was right, there wasn’t anything they could do to get Adrien back, but it still felt that they were abandoning him.

* * *

 

    “The allies invaded Normandie beaches on July 6th, a day that is known as the D da-“ Nathalie looked at his pupil and sighed. Adrien was not paying the slightest attention to her, which she should expect. He was staring vacantly at his books, not writing anything down.

    “Is something wrong, Adrien?” The assistant regretted saying these words the minute they came out of her mouth. The teen looked at her defiantly and huffed, an attitude Nathalie was not familiar with; never from Adrien.

    “Everything is wrong, don’t you think Nathalie?” He huffed.

    “If you want, we can make a pause” She proposed.

    “When will you activate the router in my room again?”

    “What?” Nathalie faked a surprised expression.

    “I know that father asked you to turn off the internet router in my room, I haven’t been able to access the internet all weekend. Isn’t it enough that I have to stay here all day, that you have to restrict my online activities as well?” The model snarled.

    “I- I'm sorry, Adrien. You know that I’m only following your father’s orders.”

    Adrien didn’t answer. Instead, he looked at her with an expression she couldn’t quite decipher and bolted from the dining room, leaving the assistant alone.

* * *

 

_Knock Knock_. “Come in!” Gabriel answered, never taking his eyes from his designing table.

    Nathalie entered the room and waited stoically for her boss to let her speak.

    “Is everything all right?” The designer asked.

    “Sir, are you certain of this plan of yours? Adrien is furious with all this, I had never seen him like this before. He’s bitter, he asked me if he could have the internet back.”

    Nathalie was starting to doubt her boss’s plans, she would follow him anywhere, but she had also developed a motherly feeling for the younger Agreste. After all, she practically raised him, she didn’t like to see him suffer.

    “Nathalie” The designer sighed “You know that I also hate to see him like this, but we need to isolate him, to make sure he doesn’t contact Ladybug, and if we break him a bit more, he will be more inclined to accept my offer, so that we can follow through our plan. I wish we had a better plan, one that would not involve him, but we tried so many things before, and none of those worked, he’s our last resort.” Gabriel explained.

    The assistant considered his words, she guessed that if they made this quick, Adrien would not have to suffer for long, he would have his mother back, and Gabriel could also be happy again. That left her with a bittersweet feeling, yes, he would finally be happy, but not at her side. _‘We need to let go those we love the most’_ she sighed.


	6. Billie Holiday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School happens. Gang vs Gabriel! Fight!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song - Warpaint – ‘Billie Holiday’

RIIING! The class started to pack their things immediately at hearing the bell, signalling the end of the morning class.

    “I’ve never said you could leave.” Miss Bustier protested earning a few groans from the students “I want you to read the articles in pages 154-160 for tomorrow, and you have to answer the questions at the end of each article.”

    “That is totally impossible!” Kim protested.

    “Well Kim, if you don’t want to do the homework that’s fine by me. You, on the other hand, will have zero on the homework parameter and we both know you need all the points you can get to pass my class.”

    That response was followed by a few giggles and a resigned sigh from the Vietnamese student.

    “Ok, you can all go now, have a good day! Nino, Marinette and Alya, can I speak with you?”

    Miss Bustier and the small group of friends waited for everyone to leave. Once they had been left alone, Miss Bustier closed the classroom door.

    “Is something the matter, Miss Bustier?” Marinette asked worriedly.

    “We’re not in trouble, are we?” Nino added, reflecting the thoughts present in their minds.

    The teacher chuckled “No, Nino, I promise you, you’re not in trouble. What I want to speak with you is something regarding Adrien. I know you are all friends, so I wanted to inform you about something I’ve learnt today that had me a bit worried.”

    At these words, the three friends looked at each other, considering what might have happened to the fourth element of their group. “Go on,” Nino said.

    “Well, I don’t know if you have spoken with Adrien recently, but today, Mr Damocles informed me that his father had pulled him out of school.”

    “WHAT??” The three asked in unison.

    “Oh, so he hasn’t told you yet.”

    “He hasn’t picked any of my phone calls. He must be devastated. School is everything to Adrien, do you know why his father did that?”

    “From what the principal had told me, his father is worried about the Akuma attacks near the school and has stated that Adrien is safer at home. I know how school is important to him, and he’s such a brilliant boy, that is why I wanted to speak with you, I’m not quite ready to abandon him, so I thought you could help me bring him back, maybe together we can change his father’s mind.”

    Nino laughed at that, don’t get him wrong, he was seething with this news. His best friend was trapped at that damn house because of his damn father, and Miss Bustier wanted to TALK?? That man wouldn’t change his mind, not even if they pointed a gun at him.

    “I’m sorry, Miss Bustier, but from what Adrien tells us about his father, I don’t think we will be able to change his mind. UGH! Why didn’t Adrien say anything? I don’t understand why he wouldn’t tell us.” Alya questioned.

    Marinette was quiet. She was watching how her friends were riling up, but she couldn’t follow them in their anger. Hearing that Adrien, her love, was not coming back shattered her world. When would be the next time the four of them would hang out? She was so ready to be his friend, to listen to him, and to learn about him as much as possible, and now… now she would only see him on patrols. But most of all, she was worried, Adrien was all alone now, she knew how he craved for even the smallest of affections, reflecting the lack of love and warmth in his house. The minute she got home, she would call him, Chat-him, to meet her on the Eiffel Tower, if there’s anything that that boy needs right now is a friendly ear to listen to his problems which seemed to have increased exponentially since Gorizilla.

    “We’re going there now! That man deserves to be yelled at for doing what he did! We will get him back!” Nino interrupted her thoughts.

    “Please do that, but don’t start any fights with his father, try to make him see that studying here was the best thing that happened to his son.” Miss Bustier advised.

    “Thank you for telling us, Miss Bustier.” Marinette thanked quietly.

    “You welcome, I just thought that you deserved to know.” The teacher explained.

 

* * *

    Adrien was once again in his room, he was bored to tears, not even Ultimate Mecha Strike could lift his spirits, but between that and looking at the walls, he guessed he could play a little.

    So that’s where he was, lying on the couch and playing video games. His father seemed pretty intent on isolating him from everyone else, or maybe he just wanted to drive the teen crazy, he didn’t know. What he did know was that he didn’t even have any activities outside of the manor for the week, which was a first actually. He never thought he would be saying this, but he would even pay for a photoshoot if that meant he could get out of the house.

    What he wouldn’t give to have Plagg by his side again, to be able to transform and get out of that damn room and run on the rooftops freely. He had searched the room so many times since he lost the ring, he also searched the dining room hoping the ring was lost during dinner. Perhaps he could ask his father or Nathalie if they had seen it, he could tell them it was a gift from one of his classmates or something since his father only seemed to notice the ring for the first time after Jackady.

    The doorbell distracted him from his thoughts, and curious as ever, he went to his bedroom door to see who it was. The last time they had a visit, it was from Nino, who was trying to convince his father to let him have a birthday party. Despite all the events that followed that encounter, Adrien kept that memory fondly, no one had ever fought for him like that. On that day, Adrien learnt what true friendship meant.

    However, when he opened his bedroom door, his bodyguard was standing right in front of it, blocking the passage ‘ _Of course he’s here’_  Adrien thought bitterly.

 “I want to see who’s at the door, please let me through.” He asked politely. Gorilla didn’t answer, and he didn’t move either. The model understood the message, he was not to leave the room it seemed. He sighed, knowing all his attempts to pass through his massive bodyguard were futile, he went back to his bedroom.

 

* * *

 

    “Yes?” The voice coming from the eye-shaped camera asked.

    “Uhh… Is Adrien home?” Nino asked, suddenly much less confident. He remembered the last time he was at the manor, and it didn’t end well, he surely didn’t want a repeat of that day, so he tried to remain composed.

    “He is, but he doesn’t want to see anyone.” The voice answered stoically.

    “We know that you are keeping him from seeing anyone, please open the gate so we can speak to him directly,” Alya argued, she was the most frontal of the group, being a journalist, she was used to confrontations.

    “I’m afraid you have come here for nothing, you won’t speak to him.” The voice said, showing a subtle hint of annoyance.

    “Can we at least speak to his father?” Marinette asked shyly, hoping that they could at least put some sense in that man.

    This time, the camera didn’t answer, in fact, it retracted back to its hiding spot on the stone wall. The teenagers waited anxiously, after what seemed like an eternity, they looked at each other and decided that they had been ignored. As they were starting to walk away, the camera popped out of the wall, making them stop in their tracks. “Come in,” it said, and the huge gate keeping them from entering opened.

 

* * *

 

    When the three friends entered the manor, taking in all its grandioseness and coldness, they couldn’t help as a shiver ran through their spines.

    Mr Agreste was already at the top of the white marble stairs, hands clenched behind his back, and a slightly annoyed frown on his face, “What do you want?” He asked coldly.

    “Uh- We- huh – We wanted to see Adrien.” Nino started.

    “Well, I believe my assistant already told you that my son is not seeing anyone.” All eyes turned to Nathaly who was standing next to her boss stoically as always.

    “OHHH, WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!!” Alya exploded “I bet Adrien is in his room, and for whatever sick reason you’re not letting us see him. Now, I know you want to protect him, but he’s old enough to watch for himself, this last decision of yours does not benefit anyone except yourself, it certainly doesn’t benefit Adrien!!”

    Marinette and Nino could only stare between their friend and the designer, who was now sending daggers with his eyes to all of them. All of them knew how strict Gabriel was, he was certainly not used to be yelled at.

    “You listen here, young lady!” The designer started, clearly furious “Who do you think you are to come to my house and speak to me in that tone? I’m glad I managed to take my son from that horrid school of yours, he certainly doesn’t need such scum in his life!”

    “SCUM?? He’s calling us scum! Ah! We are probably the only thing that’s keeping your son sane, at least we care about what he thinks, and he knows that! The same can’t be said about you!” Alya countered.

    “What Alya is trying to say, Mr Agreste, is that Adrien cares so much about school, and I know that you’re concerned about the Akuma attacks near there, but is it really fair for him to be locked up in here?” Marinette defended, she had finally gathered all her courage and started to reason with the stubborn adult “If I recall, there’s been a few akumas here as well, Jackady… Volpina… You…” She knew she had hit a spot with her last words as Gabriel’s face softened a bit.

    “Well, I’m glad at least one of you knows how to speak politely” Gabriel looked at Alya defiantly, earning a scoff from the redhaired girl, “However, I’ve made up my mind, Adrien won’t go to school so you might as well forget about him. Nathalie, escort them out.” He ordered, turning his back to the teenagers.

    Nino opened his mouth to protest but was interrupted immediately by Nathalie “You’ll only make his situation worse if you keep arguing” She said, her message clearly understood by all, as they showed no resistance to being escorted out of the manor.

 

* * *

 

    When the hall door closed, Gorilla stepped out of the entrance, leaving it clear once again.

    However, the teen stayed inside the room, shaking from head to toes, as the words that were exchanged in the floor below kept being registered in his mind.

    Tears were making trails down his face, as Adrien stared at his bedroom entrance shocked. His friends had come to his house and tried to convince his father to let him return. And then, his father told them that he would not change his mind and that they could forget about him, and that was when Adrien broke. He would never go to school again. He would be forgotten by all the people he cared. He would only be a poster boy, a doll to be looked at but never to be spoken to.

    Despite all the water that was running down his face, he didn’t make a sound. He was just staring blankly at his door, with fisted hands on his sides, shaking with tension he had yet to release.

    Adrien stood like that for what seemed like ages, it was like, he was there physically, but not mentally. In his head, he was still replaying the conversation he heard between his father and his friends. Why hadn’t he shouted? He could have warned them he was there, then the Gorilla would have to step aside and let him go. But he didn’t do anything, he just stood there, the entire time listening, while his friends were fighting for him. He didn’t do anything at all.

    A shadow loomed over him, pulling the blond out of his drowning mind. As Adrien looked up, he saw his father with a serious expression.

    “Son, we need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UHHH!! Now, what does Gabriel want this time?   
> All will be revealed next chapter, Gabriel has yet to make the second part of his master plan happen. So… Expect more angst (I’m so sorry Adrien!), I promise you that this will have a happy ending, but we are still far from that.
> 
> I must warn you, buckle up your belts, next chapter will be quite a ride. Oh, and there will be an Akuma attack pretty soon.  
> Until next time!
> 
> Next chapter: “You want me to do what?”


	7. Gem Club – Polly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father and son bonding (?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Gem Club – Polly

“Son, we need to talk.” He couldn’t go back now, the most important piece of his plan has been set in motion, all he had to do for the next moments, was to carefully sentence his intentions, he couldn’t give Adrien any chance to refuse.

It was clear to him that his son had been crying, despite all his efforts to hide his emotions, his red-rimmed eyes were a clear giveaway. The teen was just like his mother, too emotional for his own good, and Gabriel knew he could play with that against his son.

“Have you been crying?” The designer asked with fake curiosity.

“I heard you talking to my friends, why are you so set on not letting me go to school?” Adrien asked, his voice quivering at the end.

Gabriel sighed, trying to contain his smile, his son, had given him the perfect opportunity. “Well, the Akuma attacks are not the only reason I’m keeping you here, my son. Follow me.” He ordered, waiting for Adrien to come out of his shock and move.

* * *

 

Father and son walked side by side to the office room, not uttering a single word along the way. When they got there, Gabriel didn’t waste a single second as he paused in front of Emilie’s portrait. “Stand right next to me.”

Always obedient, Adrien walked to his side eyeing him apprehensively. Gabriel pushed the secret buttons on the painting, and the floor beneath them opened like an elevator.

The younger Agreste could only stare at his father with wide eyes and mouth agape “Wha – What was that?” He whispered, scared of the dark secrets that surrounded his only parent.

Gabriel didn’t answer, they descended to a massive room. Adrien could only stare shockingly at his surroundings. He had never seen this room before, that is, if he could call, whatever that was, a room. The place he stood reminded him of some abandoned church. There were bridges on the sides, with cables passing beneath them. The high ceilings made a giant arch. The only source of natural light came from the very far end of the room, pointing towards a garden with some kind of altar in the middle. In fact, everything in that room pointed towards that spot, as if it was the central key to the existence of that mysterious place.

Millions of questions swirled on Adrien’s head. Was this room always here? What was the meaning of that thing on the other side? Why has this been kept a secret? What else was his father hiding from him? “Adrien, I need you to remain calm after what I’m going to show you, I promise I’ll explain everything to you, you have to trust me,” Gabriel asked, walking in the direction of the garden.

Adrien shook his head to shake all his doubts away and followed his father once again. Once he got a better view of the altar, a wave of nausea hit him suddenly. His heart was racing, as he placed a hand on the glass that separated him from his long-estranged mother. He paled, losing all his forces at once. He couldn’t hold back anymore and ran to the plants right next to the chamber his mother was in and threw up all his stomach contents. He felt his father’s hand on his back as if it was attempting to comfort him. “Wh – Why?” He whispered weakly.

Gabriel kept stroking his back gently and looked at his wife’s sleeping form. “She got sick.” He paused. “She – She got so sick, we went to several doctors, but no one could tell what she had. She didn’t want to worry you, so we tried to hide it. When you were with her, it was as if you gave her all the strength she needed to get through the days, but eventually… Not even you were enough to keep her going. One night she, she was in bed sleeping with her normal clothes, I tried to wake her up, but, but she didn’t open her eyes. I started building this when we concluded that she was not going to make it.” Gabriel looked at his son who was shaking madly, tears pooling from his eyes. “She was still alive, so I put her inside this chamber. It’s what has been keeping her alive since then. I didn’t have the courage to tell you what had really happened, I told you she disappeared, so when I could save her, it would look like she had simply come back.”

“Save her?” Adrien interrupted, his voice strained from the millions of emotions that were flowing through him. Gabriel could feel them all, anguish… betrayal… despair… sadness… and… hope…

“Yes.” He answered simply. “You see, there is a way to save her. When all the scientific knowledge was not enough, I – I turned to alternative ways. I travelled the world in search of answers.”

“So, when you had to go abroad on work, you were trying to find a solution for mum?”

“I was. I found out a book in Tibet, that book you stole from my safe. It contains quite a few secrets. There was a man who had studied the book for many years. He tried to decipher the codes written there. He didn’t discover much, but he found out that, there are two pieces of jewellery that when combined are so powerful that they can reshape all the four dimensions at the wielder’s will…”

“Wha- What does that mean?” Adrien whispered, suddenly very afraid of what his father was planning.

“It basically grants you a wish, anything you want at the snap of your fingers.” He paused. “I, I already have one of the pieces, the ring of destruction.” Adrien gasped at those words. “Adrien, I know who you really are, and it’s time for you to know who I really am, why I do the things I do.”

All of the blond’s forces had seemed to abandon him once again as he fell to the floor gasping for air. Realization hit him at once, everything suddenly made so sense, this sick nightmare was his reality, his father was the villain behind all the events that had happened in Paris since he got his ring, he had been fighting his father all this time.

Gabriel hugged his son, who was gasping for air that didn’t seem to enter his lungs. He petted his blond, soft hair, and rocked back and forward holding his only child.

“Whe – Where is he?” Adrien asked between gasps.

“Who?”

“MY KWAMI, WHERE IS HE??” The teen asked again, his voice full of rage.

“I locked him, but he was feisty, he wouldn’t bow to my demands so, I put on the ring and renounced him, sending him back to limbo.”

“You what??” Adrien questioned, crawling his way out of his father’s embrace.

“I had to, my son.”

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!! YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL ME THAT!! YOU HAVE BEEN LYING TO ME ALL THIS TIME!!” Adrien yelled, sobbing once again.

“Please, Adrien, you have to understand! All of this is for her! We both know she was the only one who could bring joy to our house! You were miserable after that day! I was miserable ever since then! Adrien, the reason I’m telling you all this is because I’m desperate! None of my plans had worked! When I found out about you, when you transformed to save yourself from falling when Gorizilla dropped you… I knew… I knew what I had to do!”

“YOU WERE THE ONE THAT TRIED TO KILL ME! YOU KNEW I WAS FALLING TO MY DEATH BECAUSE OF YOU, AND YOU WOULD DO NOTHING TO SAVE ME!”

“THAT IS A LIE! I WOULD HAVE TOLD GORIZILLA TO DROP LADYBUG SO SHE COULD HAVE SAVED YOU!” Gabriel shouted, he closed his eyes and took a breath, he couldn’t attack his son, he had to make him see what he would gain if he joined him. “I know how much you love your mother, Adrien. You can help me.” He took an octagonal box from his jacket. “I trust you, son. This is the peacock miraculous, it grants the ability to turn someone’s emotions and despair to life in the form of a protector. I want you to use it, and together, side by side, we will get Ladybug’s miraculous and save your mother. You will protect my akumas so that they have a chance to get the miraculous. You will stand next to me during the battles, so I can keep an eye on you.”

“You want me to do what?” Adrien asked wearily.

“I want you to join me.”

Adrien stared at his father, who seemed like a maniac speaking, how could he? His father had put him on a crossroad. Of course, he loved his mother, he would do anything to save her, but betray Paris? Betray his lady? He would never do such a thing. “No, I won’t do it. You may have taken my ring away, but you will never get her miraculous, I won’t let you!” He cried.

Gabriel sighed, his son really was innocent if he thought he could refuse, he had such a pure heart, always willing to put everyone else ahead of his own wishes, the designer could play with that. “You leave me no other choice then. I wish I didn’t have to make this Adrien, but, if you refuse to help me, I’m going to make sure your friends suffer the consequences of your actions. When I’m finished with them, you won’t be able to live with yourself, knowing you were the cause of their misery.” He explained slowly.

Adrien was shocked to hear his father’s cold words. A great sense of fear and despair washed all his body, he felt like he was suffocating, as if his father’s words were squeezing his neck, as if they were ripping his chest, and shredding his heart to pieces. “You wouldn’t…” He gasped.

“We both know, that for your mother, I would do anything.” Gabriel threatened dangerously.

Bile rose to the young Agreste mouth, as he retched all the contents that still remained on his guts to the floor. He felt trapped, despite being locked from the world for all his short life, Adrien had never felt as much trapped as he felt right at that moment. He didn’t have a choice, if he refused, who knows what his father could do to his friends. The Agreste name carried great power, the influence they had, the money they had could bend everyone to their wills. His father could destroy his friends future, he could blacklist Marinette from the Fashion world forever, shattering all her dreams, he could end both Nino and Alya’s careers before they even started. God knows what his father was capable of. He was Hawkmoth for fuck sake! He could even end them if he wanted, and Adrien would be the reason for it. The teen would not be able to live with the guilt, if anything were to happen to his friends because of him, he would die, he was certain of that.

“Ok…” He muttered dejectedly.

“I’m sorry?”

“Ok, I’ll do it. But you have to promise me, that you won’t hurt any of my friends, you won’t akumatize them, all the attacks will be far from the school. And Ladybug has to survive all of this.”

“I promise.” Gabriel paused “I’m so proud of you, my son. Let’s put your alliance in practice now.” Gabriel said, handing the Peacock miraculous to his son. Adrien took it slowly, looking down in defeat, not uttering a single word to his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now you know what Gabriel really wants *laughs evilly*.  
> So, in this story, the peacock miraculous works exactly like the canon one with all its pros and cons (winks). We only had a glimpse of its abilities, so I’m going to try and not deviate much from that. Next chapter, there will be an Akuma (finally), so let’s see how that works.  
> Next Chapter: “Why is it like that?” The teen questioned apprehensively.  
>  “Her name is Duusu, she’s uh- currently sick, but the miraculous still works,” Gabriel explained in a rush.


	8. The Way it Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teachers suck, Adrien has a fashion taste, enter Team Miraculous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Landon Pigg – The way it ends

Adrien slowly opened the black box which emanated a bright blue light immediately. Unlike the first time he and Plagg met, the creature that came out of the small container fell to his hands unconsciously. In fact, it seemed to be trembling.

    “Why is it like that?” The teen questioned apprehensively.

    “Her name is Duusu, she’s uh- currently sick, but the miraculous still works,” Gabriel explained in a rush.

    “Sick? How can she be sick? You want me to abuse a sick kwami?” Adrien’s voice quivered as reality came crashing down upon his shoulders.

    “She won’t get worse if that is your concern. There’s no time to lose, we’re going to act now.”

    Adrien said nothing, he only sighed and hoped Ladybug could defeat them both. He wasn’t stupid, he knew why his father had given him the peacock miraculous instead of his own. Since the peacock and the butterfly were both better at fighting from a distance, he could stay next to his father during the attack, so he could be controlled, so his father would be sure he wasn’t betrayed by his own son.

    They went to the secret elevator once again, but instead of going back to the office, they continued to go up until they reached the highest floor. When they got there, Adrien’s jaw dropped as he took in the hundreds of white butterflies flying all over the place. It was a beautiful and yet daunting scenery, as those white, pure little creatures flew and surrounded both father and son as if waiting to be corrupted. Their master took his red scarf off to reveal a simple brooch, and upon saying his transformation words, a violet light enveloped his form, so bright that Adrien flinched, closing his eyes, already sensitive from all the crying they endured those last days.

    When the light subsided, Hawkmoth stood in place of his father, and despite knowing the truth already, Adrien couldn’t help but stare gobsmacked at the villain in front of him. A shiver ran through his spine and coldness enveloped his already tattered heart.

 

* * *

 

    Meanwhile, far from the Agreste residence, and yet still under its supernatural surveillance, a young woman paced nervously from one side of her small apartment to the other, with her phone, listening intently to the person on the other side of the line.

    “Well, I’m sure, Professor! I left it on the table along with the rest of my things to get a cup of coffee, and when I came back, it wasn’t there!” She answered trying to keep her voice steady.

    “I’m sorry, Miss Dorian, but if you don’t send your dissertation until today, we can’t grade you, which means you won’t get your Masters degree. You should have saved a backup.”

    “I know, I know! I’m only asking you for three more days, please!” She cried.

    “Imagine if we did that with every student who claimed they lost their work. There are no exceptions. See this as a life lesson, next time you’ll have a backup. Goodbye, Miss Dorian.”

    Her phone beeped, signalling the end of the call. Amèlie sat on her sofa staring at nothing in particular, she gripped her phone with a brutal force and started sobbing.

 

* * *

 

    “Ahhh! Professors are so unfair to their pupils, what an unfortunate situation! Not for my akumas though.” Hawkmoth said mockingly, as he looked at his next victim like a predator to a prey.

    “Please don’t do that,” Adrien commented submissively.

    “Do what?”

    “Mock them. You’re taking advantage of fragilized people, the least you could do is show some respect.” He grunted.

    Gabriel said nothing, he only grabbed a butterfly and corrupted it with his hands. White turned to purple and the villain released the Akuma “Fly away my little Akuma, and evilize her!”

    He then turned to his son “It’s time for you to transform, my son!”

 

* * *

 

    When Marinette got home, after the long and horribly tiring day she had, all she wanted was to lie down in her bed and sleep for a week. However, despite her exhaustion, she was pacing, as she relived the conversation with Mr Agreste. “Ahhhh!” She pulled her hair in frustration.

    “Marinette, you need to calm down!” Tikki advised worried for her chosen.

    “How can I, Tikki? That man is so stubborn! And how can he think that we will forget Adrien? We will never give up on him! I will never give up on him, Tikki!! Aghhh!! I promise you, if I was transformed at the time, I would have tied him to the tallest chimney I could find with my yoyo, and only release him when he changed his mind!”

    “Oh, Marinette! I know everything seems bad right now, but Adrien is not completely gone, you can still see him as Chat Noir, you can still sneak into his room and talk to him, even if you can’t change his father’s mind, you can still be there for Adrien.”

    Marinette looked at her kwami and gave her a weak smile “I know, Tikki! But this is so unfair! Adrien, Chat, he… He doesn’t deserve any of this, I only wish I could take him away from that horrible place, and hide him here. I would wrap him in the fluffiest blanket I have and  never let go of him.”

    Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from a few blocks away, followed by an explosion. Marinette sighed as she realized that there was an Akuma attack, and by all the commotion she could hear, it was a destructive one. The only positive thing in the middle of all that mess was that she would at least see her kitty.

 

* * *

 

    A blue light enveloped the model’s body, dragging with it, a crushing coldness. Adrien had never felt anything like that. It was as if his body was freezing from the inside. Accompanying the coldness, there was a sudden pain on his chest, it was like someone had stabbed his heart, however, just as fast as it appeared it also subsided instantly, so he didn’t give it any importance.

    He looked like he had come out from the Game of Thrones closet. He was wearing what seemed like his fencing gear only it was ebony coloured instead of white, covered by a dark blue heavy-coat. On top of that, he had a large open sleeve cape resting on his shoulders, it was also the same shade of blue of the coat, but it had golden details that put to shame the most expensive pieces of clothes his father had ever created, it also ended with what resembled a peacock’s majestic tail, coloured in tones of blue, purple and white. The coat was closed, ending on his neck just like his Chat’s suit, it had trimmed white feathers coming from his collar, just like at the end of its sleeves. The miraculous must have given him some kind of protection against his allergies since he wasn’t sneezing at all. As for his feet, he wore boots very similar to the ones his previous superhero persona wore. He looked at his hands and they were sickly pale. A dark blue mask, with golden reflections, the same shape of the chat’s mask, concealed his identity.

    He was holding a fan, it was also dark blue, but it had the same golden details his cape had, and on the top, it had a line of white feathers as well.

    “Now, you pluck one feather and blow it in the direction of your target who will be the Akumatized subject. After that, your instinct will know what to do. However, we will wait until Ladybug shows up to surprise her.” Hawkmoth explained.

    Adrien looked at his father, despite all the layers of clothes his suit provided him, the coldness didn’t subside, in fact, it seemed to be growing at each second.

 

* * *

 

    Ladybug hid behind a chimney, studying the commotion happening on the block below.

    The victim seemed to be a young woman, dressed in a simple leather onesie, much like Ladybug’s, but it was completely black, with electronic lines, just like the ones a chip might have on its surface, glowing a bright green. Whenever she touched a person, they would immediately crumble on the ground sobbing desperately, as if her touch would drain all the happiness from their bodies. “I’M MISS DESPAIR! AND IM GOING TO TAKE ALL YOUR HAPPINESS AWAY, JUST LIKE YOU TOOK MINE!!” The akumatized woman shouted in rage.

    The young heroine also noticed that as soon as the victims stopped sobbing they would just lie on the floor staring apathetically at their surroundings. _Where is that cat?_ She thought. Just as she was preparing herself to call him, she heard a thump right behind her. Her hopeful smile vanished as she looked behind her and saw Queen Bee instead of her Kitty.

    “What are we waiting for, Ladybug? We have a villain to catch!” She exclaimed always impatient.

    “I was waiting for Chat Noir. But you’re right, we can’t wait any longer…” She answered with a pang of sadness. Maybe he hasn’t heard of the attack yet.

    “Hi, dudettes!” Carapace greeted, followed by Rena Rouge.

    “Hi, Queen! Hi, Ladybug! Sorry for being a bit late, but we weren’t sure if you wanted us to be here.” Rena explained.

    “It’s okay, Rena. If I didn’t want you here, I would not have given you the Miraculous.” Ladybug said, looking everywhere, eager for her Chaton to make an appearance.

    “Where’s Chat?” Carapace asked.

    “He still hasn’t shown up. But we need to act now. Please be careful, if she touches you, she will drain all your willingness to fight. She steals people’s happiness.” The heroine explained. “Bee and Rena, please wait here, you will be our surprise attack. Carapace you’re coming with me to protect us, you two will only reveal yourselves if things go south, understood?” All of them nodded, confirming their support.

    “LADYBUG, CHAT NOIR!! IM GETTING TIRED OF WAITING, SHOW YOURSELVES, YOU COWARDS!!” Miss Despair shouted, dropping another sobbing man to the ground.

    “I’m here! If you want my miraculous, you’ll have to catch me!” The heroine taunted.

    “WITH PLEASURE!” The akumatized smirked.

    Heroine and villain started to run, the latter chasing after her target. “You know, Ladybug? Stealing people’s happiness isn’t the only boost I have!” She chuckled. Her right hand was now glowing green, as she started to shoot plasma balls at the heroine, however, Ladybug dodged all the attacks aimed at her, noticing how everything they touched would start to dissolve like the green plasma was some kind of acid. Judging by the villainess electronic like attire, the acid could be similar to the one found in batteries. Whenever the green plasma balls came too close for comfort, Carapace would shield them both with his special weapon, “Damn, she’s fast!” He commented.

    “WHERE’S THE KITTY?? YOU BROUGHT THE TURTLE TO REPLACE HIM?” Miss Despair mocked.

    Ladybug ignored the comment, herself becoming increasingly worried at each minute that passed with Adrien still absent.

    “Carapace, use your power! I need to activate Lucky Charm!” She ordered.

    The turtle themed hero nodded “Right! SHELTER!!” A green shell enveloped them both, giving Ladybug the opportunity to use her special power. “LUCKY CHARM!!” a long rope fell to her arms. “Does this mean we’re going to trap her?” Carapace asked.

    “But how? She’s too fast for us to catch her, and her powers would just dissolve the rope.” Ladybug looked around searching for clues, however, she couldn’t think of anything.

    Suddenly, the shell around them disappeared, limited by a timer, and both the miraculous beeped, signalling their transformation was coming to an end.

    “Hate to rush you, dudette. But we need to hurry if you don’t want us to reveal ourselves!”

    “HAHAHA!! YOU’RE DEFENSELESS NOW, LADYBUG!! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?”

    “We need to regroup, follow me!” They dodged another swarm of the destructive plasma.

* * *

 

    They managed to evade Miss Despair, and the four of them regrouped on a secluded rooftop, free from prying eyes. “Turn your backs, now!!” The heroine ordered, and they all turned their backs at each other. Her miraculous beeped a final time and she transformed back to Marinette. She gave Tikki a cookie and heard Nino give food to Wayzz as well.

    “Ladybug?” Rena asked apprehensively behind her.

    “Yes?” She answered hiding her own fear.

    “Isn’t it odd that Chat still hasn’t shown up?”

    “I, I, it is… I don’t know where he is… He probably couldn’t manage to come… It doesn’t matter, I’m ready to transform. Are you ready, Carapace?”

    “I am.”

    “Great, Tikki, spots on!”

    “Wayzz, shell on!”

    They all turned around, facing each other, waiting for Ladybug to assume her leadership. “Alright, we’re going altogether, she’s powerful. I still don’t know what the rope is for, but I have a plan. Rena, you’re getting the opening act.” Ladybug smirked.

 

* * *

 

    “ARGH!! WHERE IS THAT BUG?”

    “ _Patience, she will show up. Take this time to gather more energy for your attacks_.” Hawkmoth advised.

    Miss Despair scoffed, dropping another victim to the ground “What do you think I’m doing?”

    A familiar whizz sounded behind the villainess, and she smirked: “Finally showing your spots, Bug?”

    Ladybug walked to her “Well, I’m all recharged now, ready to fight you!”

    Miss Despair let out a dry laugh “AND WHY DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE ABLE TO DEFEAT ME NOW, LADYBUG? YOU SEE, WHILE YOU WERE HIDING, I WAS ALSO RECHARGING!!”

“ _I don’t like this! Don’t fall for her trap, Miss Despair_!”

“Relax, Hawky, she won’t stand a chance after what I prepared for her!” And just like that, Miss Despair jumped faster than Ladybug could react, sending a massive plasma ball at her.

    Ladybug tried to deflect the attack, but she wasn’t fast enough, the plasma grazing her right arm. However, as soon as the green matter touched her arm, the heroine dissolved into thin air in a puff of orange smoke. Miss Despair gasped “ _Rena Rouge is aiding Ladybug, be careful!!”_ Hawkmoth warned.

    The villain didn’t have time to react, as soon as she was preparing to retreat, a shout resonated behind her “VENOM!”. Queen Bee stuck her weapon on the akumatized woman torso, paralyzing her instantly. “Well, that was easy!” She smirked.

 

* * *

 

    As soon as Hawkmoth saw that Carapace wasn’t the only addition to Ladybug’s team, he knew what he had to do.

    “Looks like she didn’t have any trouble replacing you” He commented, adding salt to his son’s wound. “You know what you have to do.”

    Adrien could only stare at the man in front of him. It was time, he would betray his partner, his city, it was too late to go back.

    “What are you waiting for?” Hawkmoth demanded.

    The blonde shook his head to kick out all his hesitations, his friends' lives were on the line, despite how much he loved his lady, he couldn’t let his friends suffer, this would all end when his father got his wish, Adrien himself would also benefit from his father’s wish. Everything would be okay in the end.

    Shaking hands slowly plucked a light white feather from the delicate fan. Green eyes narrowed focusing on the small object, as he enveloped it in a fist, empowering it with dark energy. As he did this, he felt like he was giving his own life force to the feather, black spots filled his vision and a migraine started to settle on his brain. Adrien didn’t care, he had to help the villain next to him, or his friends would pay the consequences, his father would never accept a migraine as an excuse for being incompetent.

    The plume floated quite rapidly towards its target, who had just been frozen unexpectedly by Queen Bee.

    “ _Miss Despair, I know how helpless you feel right now, let me aid you in your time of need by giving you a guardian to look after you, do you accept my help?_ ”

    “ _I do…”_ Miss Despair answered in her mind.

 

* * *

 

    All that the spotted heroine had to do was to grab the akumatized object from the paralyzed victim and end the fight. As she was slowly approaching the woman, she stopped in her tracks as an odd mark appeared on her face. As soon as the mark disappeared a massive shadow took form behind the woman. It quickly shaped itself like a giant wolf, bigger than any creature they had seen before, that was not Hawkmoth’s doing, no sir. Ladybug had some serious questions to ask Master Fu, once she found a way to get rid of the new addition.

    The massive wolf howled, so loudly that the ground beneath shook, making the heroic team yelp in slight fear “Shit, shit, shiiiiiit!” Carapace panicked.

    The creature growled, showing its canines menacingly, and lunged at the four heroes. They all ran for their lives; however, the wolf was far too fast. Ladybug looked around, suddenly realizing as to why the Lucky Charm from her previous transformation had given her such a long rope. “I’m going to lasso it! Please distract it, while I prepare the rope!”

    “You’re doing WHAT?” The other three asked.

    “Just trust me, please!” She pleaded. They nodded, and proceed to distract the terrifying beast.

    So distracted she was from preparing the rope to be able to lace the wolf just like she saw in old westerns movies, she didn’t notice how the creature jumped to catch one of her friends, and the agonizing scream that came from Carapace “RENAAA!!”.

    When the spotted heroine looked behind she screamed for her best friend who was now at the mercy of that ferocious monster. She didn’t waste any time. The lucky heroine ran, launching her yoyo to a close building right behind the wolf, as she gained momentum from the short flight it would take to get to the building, she threw the rope, catching the wolf by the neck. Ladybug then jumped to the rooftop, and pulled with all her forces, trying to yank the creature from her best friend. Carapace and Queen Bee joined her, and together the three of them managed to close the lasso around its neck pulling it violently, which earned a yelp from the creature.

 

* * *

 

    Adrien felt a tremendous pressure on his neck, he started to frantically gasp for air. It was like, the lasso around his creation’s neck was also suffocating him.

    “ADRIEN!!” His father shouted, running to his side in panic. The teen put his hands around his neck, pulling at the collar of his suit as if it would help him breathe. No matter how much he gasped there wasn’t any air coming to his lungs, the black spots in his vision and the migraine that was swivelling in his head only increased in magnitude.

    “S- st-op!” He choked, and suddenly, the pressure on his neck disappeared, just like the creature he had sent to aid his father’s puppet.

    All the forces that were keeping him standing vanished, black took over his vision completely. Adrien passed out cold just as his transformation was suddenly cut from him.

 

* * *

 

    “What the hell was that??” Queen Bee asked as they stared dumbfounded at the now loose rope. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the wolf disappeared, right before their eyes. A white feather floated from it, a small breeze carrying it calmly, as it passed right in front of Ladybug’s eyes. “The peacock!” She whispered to herself.

    Carapace ran to Rena’s side, who was now getting up unsteadily. “Are you okay?” He asked, putting his hands on his girlfriend’s face, fast eyes checking for any injury.

    “I think I am! Let’s- Let’s not do that ever again.” She breathed, her miraculous beeping.

    “Ladybug, the Akuma.” Queen Bee remembered as her hair comb beeped.

    Right! Ladybug thought. She approached the victim who was still miraculously under the effect of the bee venom, she could move her head now, which meant that the effects were starting to fade. Ladybug grabbed the akumatized object, which she was certain it was the phone Miss Despair was holding on her left hand, and dropped it on the floor, shattering it. A black butterfly was set free, only to be trapped by the spotted heroine’s yoyo. “Bye, bye, little butterfly!” She said exhausted.

    Rena handed her the rope that was given to them as a lucky charm. Ladybug smiled at her, relieved to see her best friend alive and well.

    She threw the object to the air and shouted the words all Parisians were always eager to hear, “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never written a battle before, hope you liked my attempt at it.  
>  Hope you liked this chapter and stay tuned for more.  
>  See you next time!  
> Next chapter: Ladybug peeked inside his room, knocking lightly at the large window “Chaton, are you there?”


	9. Take on me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RMS Ladrien is sailing (?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Aha – Take on me (Deadpool 2 soundtrack).   
> The song is the acoustic version, just put it on loop as it fits the entire chapter, mainly the Ladrien scene. If you don't want to put it on loop tho, you can play "Bahamas - All I've ever known"

“Adrien!” Gabriel called, gently tapping his son’s face to wake him up. “Adrien, son, please wake up!”

The designer lifted his unconscious child onto his lap and carried him out of the secret lair. The moment he set foot in his study, he shouted for his assistant, the heavy form of his son’s body straining his arms. “NATHALIE!! NATHALIE, COME TO THE STUDY, QUICKLY!”

Always efficient, the brunette rushed to her boss’ side. When she saw the reason Gabriel had called her with such urgency, she had to put her hands on her mouth to conceal the baffled expression that settled; there they were, Adrien was sprawled on Gabriel’s lap who was sitting on the ground, holding his still child. She quickly regained her composure and ran to his side. “What happened?”

Gabriel ignored her question, he kept mumbling to his son, trying to wake him up. He kept futilely tapping his son’s cheeks, hugging him tightly “It was the miraculous, they attacked his guardian and somehow, it affected him as well. I know it’s damaged, but Emilie held on for so long, I thought Adrien would also resist. Ladybug’s restoration spell didn’t affect him at all, and I don’t know why. He started to choke, and now, there are these marks on his neck, and he’s not waking up!” His voice quivered at the end.

Nathalie grabbed the teen’s wrist looking for a pulse. She felt a rapid beating, too fast to be considered normal, and narrowed her usually cold eyes at her employer. “You willingly gave a damaged miraculous to your son, what do you think it would happen? He has a pulse, a fast one, but a pulse anyway, and he’s breathing. Sir, I think you’ve gone too far, please, think of your son!” She pleaded.

“Exactly, Nathalie! I’ve come too far! We can’t give up now, I can’t let Adrien hurt himself for nothing! This is his mother we’re talking about! Émilie!” Gabriel answered maniacally.

Adrien started to shift slowly, letting out a weak whimper, startling his father, who fondled his soft golden locks with his fingers. “Shhh, it’s okay, son, you’re okay…” He said softly. Green eyes opened slowly, peaking through golden eyelashes; Adrien let out another whimper, his body was completely limp on his father’s arms, his head lolled back from the lack of support. “Nathalie, help me carry him to his bed.”

Nathalie nodded.

 

* * *

 

Since she hadn’t used her Lucky Charm in her last transformation, Ladybug had all the time she wanted to go check on her partner. She couldn’t stop thinking about what happened to him, she hadn’t seen him since Gorizilla. The last time they talked, she sent the impression she was mad at him, but in reality, she was just shocked. And then, all that had happened at school, it truly felt like ages since the last time they saw each other. Her kitty was probably devastated by all that had happened to him these last days. His secret, his freedom, his friends, they were all taken away from him so brutally.

She was perched behind a chimney on a rooftop close to the Agreste Mansion, more precisely to the set of windows she knew adorned Adrien’s bedroom. The lights were off, he probably wasn’t home. Ladybug decided then to visit Master Fu first and talk to him about the strange Akuma, and then she would come back to see if Adrien was at home. Just as she stood, the lights inside the manor were turned on, making the spotted heroine smile, _He’s here!_ She thought. However, as she kept looking, the strangest thing happened inside the illuminated room. Ladybug peeked inside as Mr Agreste and his assistant carried a sleeping boy on their arms. Her heart started to race wildly, had Adrien passed out? What happened? “Calm down, he’s probably sick, that’s why he hasn’t shown up this afternoon.” She muttered to herself, attempting to subside the pang on her chest.

She stood in place and watched Gabriel turn to his assistant while lying Adrien, who was completely limp, on the bed, both the adults in the room seemed to be in a disarray. Ladybug had never seen them looking as frantic as they were, and that only put her nerves on edge even more. Adrien must be very sick, for them to lose their posture like that. Nathalie ran to another room, which she knew it was a bathroom and came from there with a change of clothes, she then proceeded to grab Adrien’s torso, keeping him seated, which made his head slouch limply to his chest. Mr Agreste took off his shirt, and Ladybug’s cheeks started to burn, matching the scarlet colour of her suit, as she saw the love of her life half naked. Fortunately, it didn’t last long, as his father redressed him quickly with a pyjama sweater. After they finished changing him, and much to Ladybug’s sanity, she wasn’t sure for how long she could watch that boy being changed without her head exploding, Mr Agreste tucked Adrien in his bed, and in a rare act of affection, that left her gobsmacked, the designer kissed his son’s forehead and left the room followed by Nathalie.

* * *

 

The scarlet heroine waited for about thirty minutes to make sure no one would come back to the room, and then rushed to his windowsill, she hesitated in knocking at the window. Adrien looked like he was sleeping, was it wise to wake him up, when he’s probably sick? At the same time, she couldn’t help but worry… She followed her instinct and knocked, “Chaton, are you there?” She half whispered. There was no response, _Of course, he’s sleeping, you idiot!_ She mentally facepalmed.

Ladybug, however, wasn’t known to give up easily, and as the unsettledness in her heart increased, she tried to open one of the windows, finally realizing the reason as to why her crush always kept one unlocked.

The spotted heroine smirked, being able to open one of the glass panels. She jumped inside the dimly lighted room and rushed to her partner’s side.

Tears pricked her eyes, as she saw the state Adrien was in. Despite having his eyes closed, he was shaking madly, whimpering and coughing, like he was having trouble breathing. His nose was buried under the blankets, which reminded her of a small kitten sleeping. She rested a hand on his forehead, wincing at the burning sensation emanating from his body, he had a fever for sure. “Adrien?” She whispered. He didn’t acknowledge her, in fact, he only seemed to have buried his head even deeper in the blankets. “Adrien, please…” She tried again, a stray tear flowing on her face. The heroine grazed her thumb lightly on his cheek “Kitty, please wake up…” she whispered again. Emerald eyes peeking behind a glazed look, stared at her, and Ladybug let out a breath of relief she didn’t know she was holding.

“L-lad-y-b-bug…” the blonde breathed, his voice unsteady.

“Hey, Chaton! I came here to see you… I can’t even imagine what you’re going through right now, but please know that I’ll always be here for you…” she said softly, caressing his hair.

“M’lady…” He answered, looking at her like he was delirious from the fever. He smiled softly at her until suddenly his frail body started to convulse as he coughed violently.

“Adrien, what’s happening? Why are you so sick?” Ladybug jumped.

Once the coughing subsided, the model was left shaking, tears were pricking his eyes, as he stared vacantly at something past Ladybug. “It… It’s nothing… this’s just flu…” He answered weakly.

They stayed in silence for a few seconds, Ladybug continued to fondle with his hair. She was so comfortable like this, kneeling at her partner’s side, caressing his hair. Despite the circumstances, this was the closest that they have ever been. She was startled from her thoughts as she felt the boy next to her shaking, even more, his chest was convulsing again, but instead of the horrible coughs he had suffered instants earlier, she could only stare as she felt her hand getting wet, she looked at his face, and saw the tears that were now flowing freely from his eyes, he had started to sob, and her heart constricted as she was witnessing a sight she would never want to see. “Oh, Chat! Please tell me what’s wrong, why are you crying?”

She only got sobs mixed with coughs as her partner grabbed her waist weakly as if he didn’t want her to leave “Pl-please, d-don’t leave me…” He pleaded softly.

“I wasn’t going to, kitty… Can you tell me why you are crying?”

“I- I can’t, he’ll know, and it- it will be w-worse…” He sobbed.

“Who’s going to know, Ade? Is it- is it your father?”

“Pl-Please, Ladybug, don’t ask me any-anything… promise… promise me you… you’ll forgive me”

“Forgive you for what, Chat?” She asked, eyes widening as she saw that his right hand was bare, the place where his ring used to rest, only had a pale line now. She felt her stomach drop to her feet as she looked at him closely. Despite the poor lighting in the room, she noticed the marks on his exposed neck.

“Adrien, wha- What is this? Where’s your ring? Was it… was it Hawkmoth?” She asked agitatedly.

However, the blonde didn’t have any forces in him to answer, he could only sob exhausted. He rested his face against her stomach and cried. Ladybug could only hold him, caressing his back in an attempt to comfort him. It all made sense now, Hawkmoth had somehow got to this sweet boy, and stole the miraculous from him. And Adrien, stubborn as his superhero persona was, must have attempted to fight back, resulting on the marks on his neck. It didn’t matter, what mattered is that this kind, perfect boy; _no, not perfect, he’s flawed, he’s perfectly flawed_ ; was hurt, he was grieving his loss.

Ladybug cried with him, “Adrien, Ade, my Chaton, I would never blame you for what happened, this was all Hawkmoth’s doing, I’m so sorry for not being with you, I- I abandoned you when you needed me the most, and Hawkmoth took that chance to steal your miraculous.” She paused, trying to keep her voice steady, “I promise you, we’re going to make him pay for what he did, he’ll regret ever laying a finger on you, I swear.” The more she spoke, the more riled she was getting, she was just so angry, correct that, she was furious, she was seething, no one hurts her kitty and gets away with it, absolutely no one!

Adrien, however, didn’t seem to listen to her promises, he just kept sobbing, coughing and wheezing, his sickness mixing up with his panic, taking over his feeble body. Suddenly, his green eyes widened as he let go of her “You need to leave! He’ll be here and if he sees you…” he paused to catch a breath, “it will be worse.”

“I can’t leave you like this, Adrien!”

“Please, Ladybug, my fath- my father is here…” He said the last words quietly, “he’s taking care of… he’s taking care of me, I’ll be fine! Please leave…” he cried in fear, no longer having the strength to move.

Ladybug stroked his cheeks one last time, cleaning the tears that were staining them “I’m going, but I promise you, kitty, I will get Hawkmoth once and for all!” She said with a fresh wave of determination. Just as she was turning to leave, a weak hand grabbed her wrist, she looked back, staring lovingly at her love,

“I- I love you, my Lady! So much… please forgive me…” He admitted weakly.

She smiled at him adoringly, “I love you too, Chaton…” she whispered.

She gave him a final peck on his forehead and went to his window. She then proceeded to close it, taking one final look at the fragile boy who she felt she was abandoning once more, and with a sunken heart, the spotted heroine disappeared into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: “Ladybug, I’m afraid we have come to a crossroad, a dangerous one, I think it’s time to end all the secrets, they only led us to this situation.”  
> Ohhhh, I wonder just what the talk between Ladybug and Master Fu is going to be about.  
> See you next time!


	10. Slow Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette goes to school, then goes to a massage parlour, something like that. Gabriel, that is your son!! I’m going to call the child’s protection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Grizzly Bear – Slow Life

The next morning hit Marinette like a train. She hadn’t got a blink of sleep last night, every time she would close her eyes, images of her partner’s flooded her mind, and not the nice ones like she had every now and then. Sometimes, when she closed her eyes, she would see her partner being attacked by Hawkmoth, the villain choking him brutally, not giving him a chance to cry for help, and when Adrien was finally unconscious, Hawkmoth would take his ring and run. Other times, Adrien would be alone in his massive room, sick and sobbing, asking her for forgiveness, and she could only stand there, not being able to comfort her love. So, she just stood on her bedroom, lying on her bed and staring at the ceiling.

    What she wouldn’t give to never see Adrien so miserable again. She would even switch places with him if that meant he could be happy.

    “Marinette…” Tikki called.

    “I know, Tikki. I have to go to school…” She said numbly.

    “I was actually going to suggest skipping school and stay at home today. I know you didn’t get any sleep after last night.”

    Marinette sighed, Tikki was probably right, she was exhausted, the bluenette wasn’t going to enjoy any second of school, but that wasn’t fair, was it? Adrien had always gone to school, even if he was having the worst of days, simply because that wasn’t a granted thing for him, he had to fight with his only living relative to go there, and here she was, considering not going because she didn’t get any sleep.

    The teenager stood abruptly from her bed, startling her kwami, “No, Tikki. I must go, for Adrien! And then we’re going to visit Master Fu, we need to talk to him.”

    Like a fresh wave of energy had enveloped her body, Marinette dressed quickly and after having a quick breakfast, she practically ran to school.

* * *

 

    “Hey, girl! How are you here before time??” Alya asked with a teasing tone, as Marinette silently greeted her pulling out her notebook from her backpack.

    “I can’t be late every day, Alya. The teachers would kill me!” Marinette retorted back. She frowned as she stared at the vacant seat in front of her, remembering how its usual occupant would smile at her, every time she would come late. Nino was sitting silently, headphones on his ears, ignoring his surroundings, just like he used to be before he and Adrien became friends.

    “How is he doing?” Marinette whispered to Alya, pointing at Nino.

    Her best friend released a sad sigh “He’s been like this since we went to Adrien’s house… Mr Agreste’s words really messed him up. The nerve of that man! Telling us to forget about his son! How could we do that Marinette? What kind of messed up father doesn’t want his only child to be happy?”

    The bluenette let those words sink in, her gazed travelled downwards as if to keep the tears that were already forming at bay. Alya looked at her, and realizing her friend’s feelings, wrapped her in a tight hug, “I’m sorry, Marinette, I didn’t even stop to think how you were doing! We’re going to solve this, I promise you!”

    Marinette smiled half-heartedly at the brunette, her best friend didn’t even know the whole story, this was so much more complex than all of them imagined it.

    Suddenly, a shadow loomed above her, and as she looked up, the teen was gobsmacked as to who was approaching them.

    Chloé was standing, next to Adrien’s place, looking at the three friends with a frown, however, it wasn’t the usual disgusted look that she threw at them, this one was much sadder, adding that to the lack of make-up on her face, she didn’t look like the same person at all.

    “Hey.” The blonde greeted quietly.

    Nino took off his headphones curious as to why Chloé was just standing there. “What do you want?” Alya asked aggressively.

    The bee hero raised her hands, as if she was intimidated by the brunette, “I come in peace, I promise!” She warned, “I, I just wanted to know if, if you know something about Adrien…” She asked quietly.

    “You see, he didn’t come to school yesterday, and he’s late, which he never is. He’s not answering any of my calls, or messages either. And you are all looking miserable, so maybe you know what’s happening…” She pleaded.

    “Why do you care? You can’t show him around if he’s not here?” Nino attacked.

    “I care because I’m his friend, he’s my best friend, I’ve known him for far longer than he has known any of you.” She huffed “This was a mistake, I’ll just wait for him to call me back.” She muttered.

    “His father has taken him from school, he’s back to homeschooling,” Marinette explained.

    “He’s what?” Chloé breathed, “Why wouldn’t he tell me?” She whispered.

    “He didn’t tell anyone, nor he’s answering our calls if it’s any consolation.” Nino retorted.

    “That is not like him at all, do you think his father took his phone away?” The blonde asked.

    “I wouldn’t be surprised if he did… That bastard!”

    “Well, I’m going there! That man will see that what he’s doing is so unfair to my Adrikins!”

    “We’ve already tried that, didn’t work,” Marinette muttered.

    “That’s because you’re you! I, on the other hand, have a much better chance of convincing him.”

    “And how are you going to do that exactly? You’re going to threaten Mr Agreste with your stupid ‘My dad is the mayor’ card?” Nino chuckled, “I could see that working, except for the fact that you would only be kicked out of the mansion faster than you can say mayor.”

    Chloé didn’t answer, she just stood there looking at them gobsmacked. She then went to her seat next to Sabrina and rested her head on her arms defeated.

    “You didn’t need to be so aggressive to Chloé, Nino…” Marinette scolded.

    The DJ only huffed and put his headphones back. Marinette stared at her friends and Chloé sadly. If only she could tell them everything, maybe it would all be easier, four brains think better than one after all.

    “I hate this!” She whined frustrated.

    “I know, Mari… I hate this too…” Alya whispered as Miss Bustier entered the class to start the lesson.

* * *

 

    A violent cough erupted from his core, as Adrien shook violently. He put his hand in front of his mouth as he kept coughing. When they had finally subsided, he was left breathless.

    He looked at his pale hand that had been covering his mouth and couldn't help but grimace at the blood splatters that were covering it. He then slowly lifted his head, noticing the red liquid on his pillow, had he been bleeding, but from where? Shaky fingers grazed his nose and felt the moisture covering it, and when he withdrew them, they were covered in the same red substance that was on his pillow.

    The door to his bedroom opened suddenly, earning an involuntary flinch from the boy who had his back turned to it. He felt the bed lowering a bit, accommodating the person that was now sitting there, and silently whimpered as a hand rested on his shoulder.

    “I know you’re awake, son. Are you feeling better?” His father asked with genuine care.

    “Yes…” The teenager breathed.

    “Could you, could you look at me, Adrien?” Gabriel asked warily.

    Adrien closed his eyes. He didn’t want to look at his father, if he could still call him a father. He felt so drained, he really felt like he was dying, his father had lied to him, he knew the miraculous would hurt him and he let him use it anyway, he was willing to watch his son slowly dying so he could get his wish.

    “Please, son, look at me.” Gabriel pleaded, turning Adrien slightly.

    Eventually, the young Agreste stared at his father, hearing a gasp from the adult as he noticed his son’s bloody nose and hands.

    “Did you bleed from your nose? Are you really okay?” He said as he stood, preparing to walk to the bathroom.

    “What do you think?” Adrien asked sarcastically.

    The designer seemed to have ignored his response and walked to the bathroom, returning with a wet towel to clean his face and hands. Adrien noticed a croissant and a glass of orange juice on his bedside table, and Gabriel, following his gaze to the food commented: “I brought you breakfast, do you think you can eat it?”

    The teenager could only weakly nod in response, he wasn’t hungry at all, but he thought that he might as well eat since he didn’t exactly remember when was the last time he had ingested some food.

    Gabriel put the tray of food next to him and helped him sit on the bed, arranging some pillows to accommodate him better.

    He started to eat slowly, lacking the energy to even chew, as he started to gulp down the food, it was like his stomach was twisting painfully keeping himself from eating, however, he continued to nibble the croissant, he needed all the energy he could get.

    He warily looked at his father who was oddly silent, just staring at him with a frown. After a few seconds, the designer started, “It’s good that you have the energy to eat, we’re going to attack Ladybug again tomorrow.”

    Adrien stopped eating, his father was going to make him use the miraculous again, last time had been so excruciating, he didn’t know if he could handle the transformation anymore.

    “If you work fast, it won’t hurt you so bad,” Gabriel advised, he then grabbed Adrien’s wrist, applying some pressure on it, which only increased the blonde’s heed. “I know she was here last night.” The teenager’s eyes widened in fear, as the pressure on his wrist increased, “Did you tell her anything?”

    “N-no!” He stuttered, his wrist now throbbing painfully from the pressure.

    “You know what happens if you break your part of the deal. Your friends will pay!” Gabriel threatened coldly.

    “Pl-please, you’re hurting me!” Adrien cried, gasping for air.

    Gabriel loosened his hold on his wrist, but didn’t let go of it, “It doesn’t matter, you’re not safe in here! You’re going to stay in the lair.” He said with a crazed expression.

    Adrien was now panicking, his father would never be capable of locking him up in that horrid place, at least not the father that he used to know, “Please don’t!” His pleads fell into deaf ears.

    Gabriel stood abruptly grabbing Adrien by his wrist, which earned a painful cry from the teen. He practically dragged him from the room, the blonde didn’t have any energy left in his body to resist him, so he begged, trying to poke at his father’s consciousness “Please, Father, I’ll behave!” He gasped, “Don’t lock me in there, please!”

    However, all his words were ignored by the older Agreste. When they got to the study, Gabriel let go of him to push the secret code on the painting, making him fall to the floor from the lack of support. The designer then grabbed his abused wrist, which was already bruising, and dragged him until they reached his mother’s glass coffin. He wanted to puke, his father was going to leave him here with her, he would have to look at his dying mother all the time.

    “Pl-please, don’t leave me here!” He sobbed uncontrollably.

    “I’m going to leave you here, so you can look at her, and never forget the reason why we’re doing this! Do you think I like to do this to you, Adrien? But you’re not learning, you still haven’t understood why we need to save her! I thought you loved your mother, I can see now how wrong I was.” Gabriel taunted coldly.

    “That isn’t true! I- I love her! I understand you, please don’t lock me in here!” Green eyes full of tears tried to reach the other man’s soul to no avail.

    “I’m sorry, son, nor you, nor anyone will deter me from my goal.” He muttered to his child while handcuffing one of his wrists to one of the thick metal bars supporting Emilie’s casket.

    The designer then turned his back and walked away secluding his own emotions, ignoring the cries for mercy from his child.

* * *

 

    School had passed at an extremely slow pace. Chloé would glance at them every so often, Nino didn’t talk to them at all, and Alya had tried very hard to cheer up the group but gave up around lunchtime when she realized how futile that was.  Thankful all the lessons were relatively easy so Marinette was able to pay the slightest attention.

    “Time to see Master Fu…” She muttered to herself.

    When she got to the massage parlour, Master Fu was already waiting for her, as if he had guessed she was coming. Of course, he knew, an Akuma attack like the one yesterday had never happened before, so it was only natural that Marinette would seek him for advice.

    “Come in, Marinette, quickly.” He told her.

    They sat on the pillows that were scattered on the floor as usual, and Master Fu started to prepare a tea, like every time Marinette would visit him. She let herself sink in the comfort that this routine brought upon her for a few seconds.

    She then shook her head to focus, there were urgent affairs that they needed to tend. “Master, the Akuma, yesterday…” She started.

    The older Chinese man sighed, “I saw it… Hawkmoth is not alone…” He confirmed her suspicions.

    “So, that really was the Peacock miraculous? Hawkmoth has an accomplice?” Marinette couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that someone was helping a villain.

    “I’m afraid so, Ladybug… However, you must keep yourself from judging this person, as far as we know, they could be obligated to fight alongside him.” He advised as if reading the girl’s mind.

    “I guess only time will tell us that then. Meanwhile, we will keep protecting Paris, and defeat both of them.”

    “A wise thought, Ladybug.” He grinned proudly at her.

    Marinette, then bit her lip, preparing herself to deliver the much darker news she had found last night.

    “Is there something else you want to tell me?” Master Fu questioned, studying her expression.

    “Yes, I- I visited Adrien last night… The peacock might not be the only other miraculous Hawkmoth has…”

    “What do you mean?” He asked apprehensively.

    “Adrien, Chat Noir was attacked, he lost his miraculous. I asked him if it was Hawkmoth and he didn’t deny it. We lost Chat Noir.” She cried.

    Master Fu’s expression got much darker, he looked at his kwami as if they were having a telepathic conversation, and then turned to Marinette “Ladybug, I’m afraid we have come to a crossroad, a dangerous one, I think it’s time to end all the secrets, they only led us to this situation.”

    “What?” she stuttered.

    “Bring your team here, Ladybug. Tomorrow. You’re going to tell each other your identities.”

    “You want us to do what?” Marinette questioned gobsmacked.

    “The time has come. If my instinct is correct, Chat Noir is still in grave danger.” Master Fu warned lost in his own thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: “Please, I don’t know why you’re helping Hawkmoth, but I promise you, whatever he had offered you can’t truly mean more than the deaths of hundreds of innocent people!” She pleaded. Adrien’s heart seemed to have restarted.


	11. Before It Breaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That is it, Gabriel, I’m calling the cops! The gang is skipping school? Someone rebels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Brandi Carlile - Before It Breaks

  “From: unknown; to: Nino; Carapace, meet me on the usual spot after school, there’s something important we need to discuss, Ladybug.” Nino stared at his phone thinking about what Ladybug might have wanted from him. She had never texted to his personal phone before, it was too risky, and how did she get his number?

    He shrugged those thoughts away, the DJ needed to get ready for school. Ever since Adrien was back to homeschooling, his willingness to stay in that damn building for hours had dropped like a brick, although he got to see Alya, who right now, was the only person who could lift his spirits, even if it was only slightly.

    “Wayzz, Wayzz!” He called. The green kwami appeared immediately, as if he had always been there, right in front of him the whole time, perhaps he was, but Nino had been so detached from the outside world, that maybe he hadn’t noticed.

    “Yes, Nino?” The kwami asked.

    “We need to get ready for school…” He paused, “Dude… Where were you yesterday afternoon? I couldn’t find you anywhere for hours.”

    “Oh, you noticed...” The kwami grinned like he had been busted.

    “Of course, I did, why wouldn’t I?”

    “Well, I went to visit a friend.”

    “A friend?” Nino quirked an eyebrow in suspicion.

    “Yes, a former chosen, you will find out everything today, now hurry up dude, we need to leave.” Wayzz evaded the question.

    However, instead of dropping the subject, the DJ’s curiosity only spiked after Wayzz’ last words, “Hey! Do you know why Ladybug wants to talk to me?”

    “I do, but it’s better for you to listen from her. Rena Rouge and Queen Bee will also be there.”

    “Right… I hate when you get all professional and full of secrets.” Nino huffed.

    “Well, you better get used to it, keeping secrets is like 80 per cent of my job, now, chop, chop! We don’t want to be late for school.”

    The Dj could only groan in frustration.

* * *

 

    Marinette’s heart was ready to jump from her body and run, or at least that was what the teenager was feeling. It was bumping against her chest madly, and honestly, she felt like she was going to get sick. Maybe that was for the better, if she got sick, she wouldn’t have to do what Master Fu asked. She had never imagined that this was how she was going to reveal her identity.

    She had always imagined Chat and her sitting on a rooftop, watching the Parisian lights, The Eiffel Tower fully illuminated with those blue blinking lights that made everyone stop in their tracks just to admire the beauty of it. She and Chat would be gazing upon the people below celebrating the end of Hawkmoth’s terror, shouting their name’s in unison despite not seeing them, because they, they would be too lost in their own world, on a secluded rooftop, far from prying eyes. They would say their transformations words at the same time. Chat Noir would transform back to Adrien, and she would return to her own civilian identity. He would probably freak out for a bit, but he would never leave her, not him, not that sweet, amazing boy, who could crash her entire existence with just a smile and a wave. They could finally be together, free from secret personas, free from manipulative villains, the future would be a simple blank page in which she hoped they could fill it together.

    But that was just a distant dream, impossible to come true now that Hawkmoth had so viciously attacked her kitten, stripped him from his only source of freedom, from his true self. Now, she would have to reveal her identity to the other heroes first, secretly betraying the promise she had made to him. Don’t get her wrong, she adored her other teammates, two of them were her best friends, and Chloé, despite everything that happened between them, was changing for the better. But none of them was Chat, none of them had lived so many adventures, had gone through so much drama together like she and her Chaton. Hell, he was the reason why she was still Ladybug! If it wasn’t for him, she had given up her miraculous on her first day on the job.

    It was too late to go back now, she had already sent the messages to everyone, she had to go through with it.

    A loud crash resonated from the distance, a cloud of smoke formed from the origin of the terrifying sound.

    “I only hope we can end this soon…” She whispered and transformed.

 

* * *

 

    When Ladybug arrived at the scene, her jaw dropped, contemplating the destruction that was taking place. Cars were completely burnt, the trees were on fire, just as some buildings from where people were running in all directions, the firemen and the police were already there trying to restore some order, and to aid the injured. Ash was falling from the sky, it was perhaps the only thing that was moving slowly, in a daunting calmness in the middle of all the chaos.

    Queen Bee, Rena Rouge and Carapace were already there, guiding people towards the ambulances.

    “What happened?” Ladybug asked.

    “Well, I was already at school when I got this notification that an Akuma attack was taking place here. When Carapace and I arrived, there was this lunatic with his hair on fire, throwing fireballs at everything.” Rena explained.

    “Yeah, dude was crazy, when he saw us he said that he wasn’t interested in us, and then set the entire block on fire and ran, we stayed behind to take the civilians from the buildings.”

    “When I arrived, they were already here, I didn’t see the Akuma, and I have burnt hair tips now!! We need to find that bastard quickly!” Queen Bee whined, ever the dramatic.

    “You did well by staying behind to save everyone you can.” Ladybug congratulated.

    “OHHHH!! THE BUG IS BACK!! NOW WE CAN FINALLY HAVE A REAL FIGHT!” A strong voice vibrated from one of the burning buildings. Just like Rena had said, the villain’s hair was on fire, his hands were burnt, just like the right side of his face, it was completely disfigured. His suit was completely white, devoid of any detail.

    “Sir, please, you’re stronger than Hawkmoth, think about what you’re doing to these innocent people!” Ladybug tried to reason with him.

    “My name is Fireblaze, and you will all feel what it’s like to be burnt alive!!” He threw a fireball at them, making the heroes jump in different directions to deflect it.

    The team tried to approach him, but not even Carapace’s shield could protect them from the scorching temperatures emanating from him. And to top it all, he was incredibly fast, they could barely dodge his attacks. As a result, the heroes were getting tired pretty fast.

 

* * *

 

    “Let’s finish this,” Hawkmoth smirked. He then turned to his son, who was already transformed, struggling to even stand. His body was killing him, the usual coldness he felt with the transformation had returned ten-fold in his weakened state, the pain had spread everywhere throughout his body. He still had trouble breathing, and his chest was killing him, despite the emptiness he felt inside. He felt like one giant bruise, and he probably looked like one too.

    Despite all that, he couldn’t cry, not anymore, not after he had seemingly wasted all his tears yesterday begging to his father not to lock him in that morbid cold place, not after he had watched his mother slowly fade way right in front of his eyes for hours. He had screamed at his father even long after he left. He had screamed at his mother to just wake up and end all this. But, like always, none of them listened, his pleas fell once again on deaf ears. He had used all of his last forces to beg for something that would never happen.

So, when his father went to visit him, before the attack, he didn’t utter a single word, he didn’t touch the food his father had brought. The universe had finally won in its personal vendetta against him, after years of cold detachment from his only relative alive, after taking the only person who had truly loved him, he was finally broken.

“It’s your turn now, son! Do not disappoint me!” Hawkmoth warned.

Any other time, Adrien would sarcastically chuckle at his father _, as if I could ever meet your impossible expectations_ , but right now, he only closed his eyes and blew the corrupted feather away, his face devoid of any emotion, reflecting the void in his chest. He immediately felt his target; his strong feelings of triumph gave him away immediately. Adrien couldn’t understand why his father needed him to help, the Akuma was doing fine on its own. Maybe this was just a sick game of trust, to see if the blonde would betray him or not.

The feather connected with its victim and Adrien established contact, “Fireblaze, you’re doing so fine on your own. But these heroes are tricky, they can turn the game around if they want to. Let me aid you by releasing a guardian to protect you, let’s end this once and for all. Do you accept my offer?”

“Yes.”

* * *

 

    “Hey, he stopped attacking us!” Rena said surprised.

    “Good, now we can take the Akuma, I’m going to paralyze him while he’s distracted.” Queen Bee offered, already walking towards the villain, only to be yanked back by Ladybug.

    “Wait! Something is wrong!” The scarlet heroine said. And just as she finished her sentence a giant beast appeared behind the akumatized.

    “Not again!!” Carapace groaned as a massive dragon took shape, releasing a fire blast at the team.

* * *

 

    If they thought Fireblaze was hard to dodge, this beast was so much worse, it attacked viciously, not giving the heroes time to stop at one spot. They were not going to be able to fight it. Not the two at the same time. The scorching breath of the dragon was so powerful that lifted cars into the air in a strong wind accompanied by terrifying flames.

    The team eventually found a safe rooftop to hide and regroup. The three new heroes started to throw ideas to defeat the beast, all of them far too suicidal, they were shouting at each other, refuting all the proposes. Ladybug stood in silence, thinking on a solution. An idea lighted upon her head, a far too risky one, but she would be the only one at risk, the others could save themselves. “If we can’t approach the dragon, maybe we can approach its master…” she muttered.

    “You want to do what?” Rena asked in disbelief.

    “I’m talking to the peacock holder, maybe I can convince him to give up.” She suggested.

    “Ladybug, are you sure you didn’t hit your head? That is far too dangerous, we can’t risk you!” Carapace advised.

    “It’s decided, if anything goes wrong, you activate your power to protect us both, and Rena and Queen Bee, you will both run, you’re going to ask your kwamis to take you to the Guardian, he’ll have a solution.”

    “Ladybug, please, reconsider! I won’t leave you behind! I won’t leave Carapace behind!” Rane shouted with tears flowing freely on her eyes. The implication of running away from Carapace, her love, too high of a gamble.

    “We will be fine, Rena, we will meet you after, it’s just to make sure the team isn’t completely defeated.” Ladybug argued.

    “But it won’t be! Chat isn’t here again, but he’ll come back, he’s probably only sick!” Queen Bee reasoned.

    “THERE’S NO MORE CHAT, BEE!!” The spotted heroine snapped, “HE’S NOT COMING BACK! HAWKMOTH ALREADY HAS HIS MIRACULOUS! PLEASE, JUST DO WHAT I TELL YOU TO!” She cried.

    They all stared at her gobsmacked, eventually, Rena put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her and nodded. She then approached Carapace, “Don’t you dare die out there, understand? You’re going to protect Ladybug and yourself! I love you!”

    Carapace grabbed and kissed her passionately, “I love you too!”

    “I knew you were a couple!! Now, can you stop with the gross show of affection and hurry?” Queen Bee interrupted with a smirk.

    “Good luck, Ladybug!” The fox and the bee said in unison.

    Ladybug nodded and jumped right to the middle of the battle.

* * *

 

    “PEACOCK, IM HERE TO TALK!” Adrien heard Ladybug, already commanding his guardian not to attack.

    “Please, I don’t know why you’re helping Hawkmoth, but I promise you, whatever he had offered you can’t truly mean more than the deaths of hundreds of innocent people!” She pleaded. Adrien’s heart had seemed to have restarted. The mere sight of her, talking directly to him, her bluebell eyes shining, hypnotizing him in some kind of trance, one that he lost himself in, every time she would even glance at him.

    “What are you waiting for? Destroy her!” His father commanded. He, however, ignored his father’s orders, so lost in her mesmerizing beauty.

    “I, I don’t know you, the fact that you’re not attacking me right now tells me that you’re a good person! One that the universe had played a twisted sick game against. I know that you probably feel like you have no one who cares, but trust me when I say that you have! No one is truly alone! Even if you lived on an island, all by yourself, you would have someone who would spend their entire lifetime looking for you.” How did his lady know him so well… He stood there, frozen in place, not able to do anything.

    “So, please! Do not let Hawkmoth fool you! Do not let him make you bend to his will! You are stronger than that! You need to believe in yourself, and even if you don’t think that’s possible, I believe in you! I believe you are capable of making decisions by yourself! I BELIEVE IN YOU!”

    And, like a wave of fresh energy and determination, Adrien made a decision, he didn’t know how his lady could pull him from the deepest chasms, but there she was, looking at him with her pretty bluebell eyes, with a determination so characteristically of her.

    “Adrien!! Do something! End this!” His father ordered.

     _As you wish_. And with that, his guardian turned against his father’s chosen and roared at him, a ball of fire hit him square on the chest, the force of the impact throwing the akumatized man into the Seine.

    He heard his father gasp next to him, and his transformation dropped, with it all the life force that was left in him. He fell to the floor but didn’t lose consciousness, only the pain had returned ten-fold and he was coughing madly, splattering blood on the floor, rivulets of blood were also flowing through his nose, and his chest was constricting so bad, making it hard to breathe. Nonetheless, it was all worth it, if this was what dying felt like, at least his last actions were something to be proud of.

* * *

 

 _I was certainly not expecting that!_  Ladybug thought, staring, mouth agape, at the unconscious villain that Carapace had just taken out of the river. The water had set his powers off. Queen Bee and Rena Rouge approached them “Well, you have to teach me how to make such convincing speeches, my father would have to run for his money if you ever decide to run for mayor.” The bee heroine commented.

    Carapace plucked the akumatized object from the man and handed it to Ladybug who was still frozen in shock.

    “Uhh, Ladybug? Earth to Ladybug?” Rena waved a hand in front of her face. She slowly turned her gaze to the foxy heroine. “You need to purify the Akuma?”

    “The Akuma… Right!” She seemed to have finally come out of her shock and with a flick of her wrist, she manoeuvred her yoyo, trapping the dark butterfly inside.

    “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!” She shouted setting everything back to normal.

    The four heroes stood in place, drained from all that had happened in the strangest and most frightening attack in their lives.

    “Follow me! I need to show you something.” Ladybug interrupted.

    The other three nodded, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, trying to keep up with their team leader.

    Eventually, they arrived at a massage parlour, which was conveniently closed. Ladybug knocked twice, and the door opened immediately as if they were awaited. “Come, quickly!” The voice behind the door said.

    They were all ushered inside, to the usual room where pupil and Master would often meet. “Let me present you the guardian of the Miraculous! He was the one who chose me and Chat Noir.” Ladybug pointed at Master Fu.

    “My name is Master Fu. And I wish we had met in better times. Unfortunately, I believe Chat Noir is in danger. We must not waste time. The water is already boiling. It’s time for you to show each other who you really are.”

    The three new heroes looked between Ladybug and Master Fu in confusion. Before they could say anything, Ladybug started, “Right, we might as well be done with this, on the count of three we’re going to detransform.” She said a bit nervous.

    “One…”

    “Two…”

    “Three!”

    A mix of coloured lights filled the room, and when it subsided, the three new additions gasped in unison.

    “Marinette??”

    “Dupain-Cheng??”

* * *

 

    Gabriel brutally dragged his almost unconscious son back next to the glass box that contained Émilie’s body. He grabbed a fit of blonde hair, lifting Adrien, so he was staring directly at his mother sleeping form. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOU HAD DONE?? DO YOU THINK I WAS JOKING WHEN I SAID I WOULD RUIN YOUR FRIENDS LIVES?” He handcuffed Adrien where he had previously trapped him, despite the boy being too weak to leave on his own. “I GIVE YOU EVERYTHING AND YOU CAN’T EVEN DO ONE SIMPLE TASK! THIS IS ALSO FOR YOU, WHY CAN’T YOU SEE IT?” he grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him madly, “I’M GOING TO START WITH THAT DEGENERATE YOU CALL BEST FRIEND! THAT BOY WILL NEVER HAVE A FUTURE BECAUSE OF YOU!!”

Adrien didn’t think he had more tears to spill, but here he was, sobbing as his father shook him, as his father yelled at him for betraying him, what was he thinking? Was he so blind by Ladybug, that he was willing to sacrifice his friends? “Pl-please, f-father… D-don’t do anything to Nino!” He begged between gasps and sobs.

    “You should have thought of that earlier! To think you’re capable of betraying your mother for that girl!” Gabriel grabbed his already bruised neck, applying a choking pressure.

    Adrien couldn’t answer, not when his father was blocking his airway with his bare hands, not when he was already so past the point of exhaustion because of the damaged miraculous. Tears escaped from his empty emerald eyes, staring at his father’s mad form, they drifted to his unconscious kwami, who, in reality, was never his. Perhaps it had belonged to his mother once, but now… now it didn’t belong to anyone, it was free, and at the same time, trapped in its own sickness.

    Dark spots were already filling his vision, he would die at his father’s hands, the man so lost in his own obsession, he couldn’t even see that he was killing his own son. Perhaps he had already killed him when he started all this, and Adrien had only realized it now. By God! How he wanted for his father to finish him quickly, he could no longer endure all this suffering, if death meant he could finally rest and be in peace, once and for all, he would embrace it with all his lasting forces.

    A shout was released from someone behind Gabriel. A hand strongly pulled the madman from Adrien’s dying form. “NOOO!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??”

It was Nathalie, apparently, his saviour came in the form of his father’s assistant. Nathalie embraced the teenager, protecting him from his father with her own body. However, she seemed to have come late. All his surroundings faded to nothing as Adrien finally let himself drift to the unconsciousness realm.

* * *

 

    The interruption was enough to send Gabriel out of his trance, as he dropped to his knees in horror, realizing what he had almost done. With a shaking hand, he tried to reach his son, “Don’t!” Nathalie warned dangerously, pressing the teen against her chest protectively.

“Don’t you dare touch him! What kind of monster tries to kill his own son?”

“Nathalie, please, I, I didn’t mean to. I don’t know what came over me!”

“Your selfishness came over you, Gabriel! You and no one else is to blame for what happened!” The assistant argued.

 “I, I’m so sorry! I was just so angry, I was furious! Please, Nathalie, look at me!”

She ignored him. Checking Adrien’s vitals, she released a breath of relief as the boy was still alive, his pulse was weak, but he was alive nonetheless. Fingers grazed the back of her neck sending a shiver down her spine, “Nathalie, look at me, please…”

Tentatively, cobalt eyes drifted to the owner of said fingers, waiting for what he had to say. “I’m calm now, I don’t know what possessed me to do that, but I promise you, I will never hurt him like that ever again.” The designer then looked at the peaceful form of his wife, a stray tear flowing down his face, “I just love her so much that I went blind, I didn’t realize that until now, I just want her back, is that too much to ask? To have the love of my life back? You surely understand that, don’t you Nathalie? You must have someone who you love so much to the point of giving up your own happiness for them.” Nathalie flinched at those words, “Adrien could finally have a parent capable of making him happy, of fulfilling his wishes like I was never capable of. Nathalie, I promise you that when I get my wish, everything will be alright again, I’ll make sure Adrien never remembers this, we will be together again, I will return the miraculous to its guardian.”

Tears were streaming in a silent flow down the brunette’s face hitting the limp boy on her lap while she looked at him lost in thought. She caressed his peaceful face while her mind had come to a decision. She sighed, turning to her boss with a small smile, “Ok… I trust you, Gabriel, but the next time I see you trying to hurt him, I will take him away, you will never see him again.”

Gabriel smiled at her, rising to his feet, he stretched his hand inviting her to hold it. Nathalie looked one last time at the sleeping boy she had come to love as a son _, I will finish this, Adrien, I promise you_ , and holding the designer’s hand, she stood up. Gabriel also looked at the teen, sighing in relief as he watched the boy taking deep breaths.

* * *

 

“Girl, what the hell??” Alya asked perplexed, “You were Ladybug all this time?”

“Surprise?” Marinette smiled sheepishly.

“Surprise? SURPRISE?? Girl, how are you Ladybug?? Why haven’t you told me anything?”

“I couldn’t exactly do that. There were times when I really wanted to, but I couldn’t!” The bluenette defended herself.

“Are you saying that I idolized you this entire time? The baker girl?” Chloé asked snobbishly.

“Hey, you watch it! That’s my best friend you’re talking about.” Alya threatened.

“And of course you two are Rena and Carapace, what another disgustingly sweet couple could you be?”

“HEY!!” Nino intervened, “Wait, was that a compliment?”

“guys…”

“Ewww, you think? Have you ever saw me compliment someone who wasn’t Adrikins or myself?” Chloé retorted.

“guys…”

“Yeah, but you said we were sweet!”

“GUYS!!” Everyone looked at Marinette astonished.

“Thank you!” She said. Master Fu was no help at all in controlling their reactions, he was just standing there with an amused expression, staring at the group antics.

“Now that I have your attention, there’s something else we need to discuss.”

“It’s about Chat Noir, isn’t it? What was that during the Akuma attack? What do you mean he lost his miraculous?” Alya started to shoot questions at her friend, faster than the other could keep up with.

“He was attacked by Hawkmoth.” Master Fu explained, “that is why I told Ladybug to bring you here, we lost an important member of the team, so we must unite, now more than ever to defeat Hawkmoth. Chat Noir is defenceless now, trapped in his own house, and Hawkmoth is now in possession of one of the two most powerful miraculous to have ever existed.”

Nino looked to the floor, “He’s Adrien, isn’t he?” He asked tentatively.

“Yes.” Marinette confirmed, “I visited him the other night as Ladybug,” she paused trying in vain to contain her own tears, “He was so sick, he had these marks on his neck, his ring was missing, when I asked him if Hawkmoth did that, he started to cry, it was so horrible!” She sobbed.

All of them just stood there, staring at each other in shock until they were interrupted by a phone, Alya’s phone more precisely. She opened the text she had just received: “From: unknown; I know you can reach Ladybug, I need to speak to her urgently, I have important information.” She read out loud.

Another text followed the first one, “Tell her to meet me on the location I sent you on the file attached at 5 pm today! The cat is in danger, I know both his and the butterfly’s location. I want to help. I trust you not to follow us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a ride!! I know this chapter was a bit more violent than the previous ones, but this part of the angst train is almost over; the story… not exactly.  
> Next chapter: “Émilie, we need to stop doing this!!” Gabriel pleaded to his wife.  
> The blonde woman would not steer from her place, as if indicating she would not change her mind. “And I have already told you, Gabriel! We are helping people, if we stop, who will keep them safe?”  
> I wonder what that sneak peek is all about?  
> Hope you liked it! See you next chapter!


	12. Holding Us Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroes meet someone familiar. Family lore is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Holding Us Back – Katie Herzig

“The cat is in danger?” Marinette repeated, letting the content of the messages sink in. Her eyes widened in realization at what that might be.

“Oh, God! Adrien!” she panicked, transforming in the process.

“Mari- Ladybug, wait!” Alya screamed after her trying to stop her best friend from leaving. Her attempts, however, were in vain, as the scarlet heroine ran towards the shop exit and vaulted away.

Master Fu could only sigh, already predicting that the boy she was going to check on would not be in his usual place.  In fact, he strongly believed that his cat chosen was involved in the last strange attacks using a certain bird miraculous. The texts that Alya received had only confirmed his suspicions. Hawkmoth had been closer to the heroes than they had thought, and now, Adrien was paying for their cluelessness. He turned to the three remaining heroes in the room, “She’s going to the mansion, please make sure she’s safe.”

The three teens nodded in understanding, their expressions mirroring his own worried one. They quickly transformed and ran, following Ladybug’s trail.

* * *

 

“No, no, no!! Where are you?” The spotted heroine panicked, searching everywhere through her lover’s bedroom windows for the boy in question.

His room was pristine, empty of anything that might indicate any struggle, empty of life. Did his father notice his own son’s absence? Was Adrien really absent? Perhaps he was just somewhere else in the manor, however, if that was the case, why would someone text her that message? Who else could have known his identity? Most importantly, why would someone be so depraved to the point of scaring her like that just to mess around with her? She could wait a few hours just to be sure her crush was safe and sound. For the love of her sanity, she hoped, she prayed with all her forces that Adrien was fine. Last time they had been together, he looked so sick, so defeated, Ladybug would never erase that horrifying memory from her mind. If something had happened to him, especially if he was in the state she had last seen him, she would never forgive herself.

Since she had learnt his identity, she had been a terrible partner, Ladybug left her Chaton behind, to deal with the aftermath of his reveal all by himself. At that moment, the heroine swore to herself that the next time they were together, she would trap the boy in a crushing hug and never let go. She would make sure, he would never spend a minute of his life alone anymore. And most importantly, she would never let him drop that beautiful smile of his for anything that caused him the slightest feeling of unhappiness.

Three thuds sounded behind her, a shaking yellow-gloved hand rested on her shoulder, “Did you see him?” Queen Bee asked with an underlay of uneasiness in her voice.

The spotted heroine could only shake her head in response, knowing that if she opened her mouth, only a nerve-wracking sob would come out.

“You’ll see he’s in there! We’ll wait until 5, and then we’re going to meet this mysterious person. Adrien is fine, he’s okay.” Carapace reassured her. Ladybug wasn’t sure if those words were to comfort her or to ease his own nerves.

The four friends sat on the rooftop, looking for any sign of life inside the cavernous room, not a single word was exchanged between them as they all waited for their friend to show up. 

* * *

 

    Time passed steadily as five pm caught up to them. Rena Rouge sighed, “It’s time. If we’re lucky, we’re going to learn what is happening once and for all.” She warned.

    Ladybug didn’t say anything for a while, her eyes never drifted from the room which was still vacant, just as it had been for the past hours. “Ok, let’s go.” She ordered after a few seconds.

    The team glanced one more time at the imposing mansion, and with a heavy heart, vaulted towards the mysterious meeting.

    A few rooftops later, they had finally arrived at a dark alley, illuminated only by the crepuscule light.  A metal fence prevented them from going further, making the four heroes steady their weapons in case they were walking into an ambush.

    “There’s no need for that.” A female voice loomed from a semi-opened door that was on the side of one of the old buildings that surrounded the alley.

    “Well, if you show yourself, we might think of resting our weapons.” Ladybug warned tentatively.

    “What I have to tell you, can not be discussed out in the open, come in, please.” The voice answered.

    The heroes looked at each other in apprehension, without dropping their defences they entered the building, the door behind them being rapidly shut by the least expected individual.

* * *

 

    “Nathalie?” The four of them asked in unison.

    Nathalie, however, seemed unfazed by their instant recognition of her, “Sorry for meeting you like this, but he has eyes everywhere.” She explained. Despite her usual outer stoic appearance, the heroes could see her subtle disheveledness, her eyes were moving fast as if constantly checking if they were being watched. Ladybug already guessed that whatever the woman had to say, was in fact of extreme importance, requiring maximum caution, dread was already settling in her gut as if her instinct was already predicting the information.

    “You were the one who called me?” Ladybug asked slowly.

    “I was, I- God, I don’t even know where to begin.” The assistant answered bewildered.

    “How about from the beginning?” Rena encouraged.

    The brunette could only chuckle at the naiveness of the heroes, “As if what I have to tell you has a defined beginning, middle and end. It’s all just a jumble of events that had led us all here.”

    “What do you mean? You’re not making any sense!” Ladybug commented.

    “Well, I- I know who Hawkmoth is, and please hear me till the end, you can arrest me afterwards, I know what I did has no forgiveness, but you have to save him! I don’t know how much time we have!” She pleaded frantically.

    “Hawkmoth? You know who he is…” Ladybug let this new piece of information settle in her brain, her insides were all twisting as if her body was preparing itself for the shock that would follow the Agrestes’ assistant speech.

    “Yes… Hawkmoth is…” Nathalie hesitated. She held her breath for a while and silently counted to three to ease her nerves. “He’s Gabriel! Gabriel Agreste! Adrien’s father, Chat Noir’s father!” And with this, she had opened the game for the heroes, who could only gasp in shock.

    “WHAT?? That can’t be, he was akumatized, he can’t be Hawkmoth! What the hell are you saying, Nathalie?” Ladybug denied, dreading the possibility that her love’s only living family was the one behind the terrorist attacks that Paris had endured all this time. Dreading the fact that her amazing partner was being neglected by his own family for they were too busy in their obsession of collecting the miraculous. And for what? Mr Agreste was a powerful man, he already had everything he could wish for. Well, he had everything except the love of his life, who apparently wasn’t his son. No, his son was not enough to fulfil his heart, he needed something else, someone else…

    The scarlet heroine’s eyes widened, looking at the agitated assistant, as if she held all the answers of the universe, which was actually true, at least to her universe, “It’s his wife…” She whispered.

    Nathalie seemed to have heard her as she nodded in confirmation, “It is… He wants her back, you see, despite everything we told the press, we told Adrien… She’s not actually missing… She’s in the manor, she’s been there this entire time…”

    “Dude, I know that manor is freaking huge, but don’t you think Adrien would have noticed his mother? Or anyone who works there?” Carapace argued in disbelief.

     “Adrien had no idea of the secrets that house hides, he never knew what his parents did before he was born… I think it’s better if I start from the beginning, so you can understand exactly what you’ve been fighting this entire time.”

    “When I started working for the Agrestes, Adrien wasn’t born yet. They had just acquired the manor, and the company was skyrocketing, so they needed someone who they could trust, since they didn’t seem to have any free time in their hands. Between the business and their nightly escapades, Emilie and Gabriel were always mysterious to me. I didn’t know what they did on those escapades, I had always thought it was one of those rich people quirks. I quickly became very close to Emilie, she was just so kind to everyone, despite their fortune and fame, she never looked down on anyone” The assistant smiled lost in her memories, “Gabriel would trust me with everything that was happening in his life, for I was the one who scheduled it, despite Émilie being his wife, I was the one who was practically glued to him, following him like I was his shadow, which I still am nowadays. They both started confiding in me all their troubles like I was an intermediate between their marriage. One day, I heard them fighting. I wasn’t usually one to stay hidden behind closed doors hearing other people arguing, however, they also weren’t usually ones to fight with each other.”

* * *

 

_Agreste Manor – fourteen years ago_

    “Émilie, we need to stop doing this!!” Gabriel pleaded to his wife.

    The blonde woman would not steer from her place, as if indicating she would not change her mind. “And I have already told you, Gabriel! We are helping people, if we stop, who will keep them safe?”

    “We let the police handle the criminals! Please, my love, this is not just about us anymore!” Gabriel rested his palm on his wife’s still flat belly, she, however, seemed outraged from his reasoning slapping his hand away, shielding her body from her husband.

    “ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT I DO NOT CARE FOR THIS CHILD, GABRIEL??” She shouted, “Let me tell you something, this child is my life! I know we just found out, but I will do anything to protect them from any harm! I also know that we can’t just leave Paris defenceless, we would be selfish if we did so, we would be no better than the criminals we fight against every night!”

    “I know darling, but I can’t bear the possibility of losing you or that baby!” The young designer cried.

    Emerald eyes stared lovingly at the fragile man, “You will not lose me, nor the baby, I- I promise I’ll stop when the belly gets too big. But, these jewels, these jewels were put on our path for a reason, my love. I knew, on that fateful day, inside that cavern in Tibet, I knew that life had guided us till that very moment, so we could use the miraculous, I knew you were the one I was going to spend the rest of my life with, that we would be fighting against the injustice in the world, or at least die trying. I promise you, Gabriel, whatever happens in the future, you, me, and this beautiful baby growing inside me, are going to stick together, no matter what, we’re going to see him or her grow up, get a partner, be the beautiful human being I’m certain he or she will be, and the both of us will age together, until we are both old and senile.” She said softly holding her husband’s trembling hands.

    “It’s just, we both know how strained you get when you use the miraculous... Let me transform alone, I can watch the streets from the observatory, and if I see anything, I’ll take care of it, please Em, just rest.” Gabriel pleaded.

    His usual stubborn wife seemed to comply, she was aware of how her miraculous drained her, sometimes she couldn’t even get out of the bed for days, after wearing it for only a few hours. She knew she had a mission to Paris, but Gabriel was right, it wasn’t only about them anymore, she guessed that if he kept watching the streets, they would still be useful to the citizens of the city of lights.

* * *

 

    “A couple of days later, they told me they were expecting a baby, although I already knew that,” Nathalie concluded.

    “So, both had a miraculous? Gabriel had the butterfly and Emilie the peacock? And Adrien never knew?” Ladybug’s voice quivered in the end, how could one family have so many secrets? At least she knew where Adrien had inherited his wonderful personality. Emilie Agreste seemed to have been an amazing woman.

    “My mum used to tell me stories about them when I was little… I always thought that they were just tales to make me sleep.” Chloé murmured, her entire childhood was now being put under the spotlight. Did her parents know? They were all so close… Adrien and she would often comment to each other how much their parents seemed to speak in code when they were all in the same room, they had always assumed that was how adults normally spoke, but now, now she couldn’t help but think that they had been hiding this from the both of them. She and Adrien had also invented their own secret language at one point in their childhood, just so the two of them could understand each other.

    She shook her head, her parents couldn’t know, that would mean they would be complying with Hawkmoth, and they would never do something like that, however, doubt had already settled in her head, so she had to ask, “Did my parents know?”

    “No, they didn’t. They were all very close, but this was something that had been kept inside the manor’s walls. They only told me because, one day, when Mrs Agreste was still pregnant, she decided to go for a walk.”

* * *

 

   _Agreste Manor – Fourteen years ago_

    Nathalie was sitting at her desk, her shift had ended a few hours ago, but as always, she was still working, taking one final look at the family’s schedule for the next month. “Next Thursday, final echo, consultation at the hospital with the OB, Birth prep class, meeting with New York store…” She recited, adding a few post-its to her agenda. Since the pregnancy announcement, her workload had seemed to have doubled, between doctor appointments, Mrs Agreste shopping sprees for baby stuff, building renovations for the baby’s room who was now known to be a boy, and the business, she sure as hell deserved a year-long vacation.

    Her thoughts were interrupted by a scream, “NATHALIE!!” That sounded like Mr Agreste’s voice.

    The brunette ran to the source of the shouting, and could only gasp at the sight in front of her. In the main hall of the manor, Gabriel was in a frenzy, holding his unconscious wife, the entrance door open behind them. “What happened?” she asked.

    “She went outside for a walk, someone tried to attack her, she transformed to defend herself, and now she’s not waking up!” Nathalie knew that this story would not make any sense to someone who had no idea of the secret looming in this house, she didn’t even know how to react. The assistant froze for the first time in her life, not knowing what to do. Should she act like this all made sense and reveal that she knew? Should she ask Gabriel what did he meant by “transformed”?

    “OH, GOD!!” Mr Agreste sob was enough to break her out of her stupor.

    The assistant looked at the unconscious woman, noticing the blood that had started to drip from her tights. She ran to her desk phone, ignoring Mr Agreste’s shouts for his wife to wake up. She called an ambulance and joined the couple once again.

* * *

 

    “She was losing Adrien, they had to deliver him, or else they would both die. It was an enormous risk, Adrien was only 31 weeks, the chances of not surviving were incredibly high, but it was the only chance we got.” She paused, a stray tear falling down her face as she recalled one of the most stressful events in her life. The heroes stayed silent, listening intently to every detail of her narrative. “The surgery took hours, in the meantime, Mr Agreste and I were waiting for any development. That was when he told me about the miraculous. He never said why Emilie got sick when she used hers, and I never asked, he trusted me, and I think he only told me about them to distract himself from what was happening to his family.”

    “Everything went well and they both survived, but Adrien was so small, so fragile, he was intubated since he couldn’t breathe on his own, they said that he still wasn’t fully developed, he had so many crises, and the doctors were afraid he would have sequels for the rest of his life. He spent months in the hospital, during that time, Gabriel and Émilie hardly spoke to each other.”

    “Fortunately, everything went well, and Adrien was expected to grow up healthy. Émilie was the most affected by it. She blamed herself for putting her child in danger, she called him her little miracle, and she was so protective of him. Never hired a nanny, the only ones who could hold Adrien were she, Gabriel and I. Gabriel would never deny her anything, he was so scared of losing her that he would do anything to keep her happy. They were both very protective of Adrien, and that was why he never got to go to school or to explore the outside world.”

    “She never transformed again, however, she had also never recovered from her last transformation. Maybe the fact that she was pregnant when she last used the miraculous had affected her even more, I don’t know, but a couple of years later, when Adrien was older, she started to get sick, terribly sick, she would always hide it from Adrien, until one night she simply didn’t wake up.” Her voice quivered at the end.

    “She’s been in a coma since then, hidden away from the world. Gabriel asked me for help, to make up something for her disappearance, he told me he was going to fix it. We told Adrien the official story about his mother, and I knew right then that we had crushed him. Adrien’s isolation and Emilie’s overprotection of him made them very close to each other, his reaction to his mother’s disappearance will be forever stuck in my mind. Gabriel travelled to Tibet about a week later, and when he came back he was so oddly calm, he told me he had a plan, that there were some jewels that when coupled together could grant any wish. He seemed like a madman, but everything about that family was pure madness, so I only got along with it.”

    “And you let Adrien suffer alone all this time? Why didn’t you do anything?” Ladybug asked, anger flaring her body.

    “It was more complicated than that. I, you see, in the years I worked for them I started to admire Gabriel. I also love Adrien, as if he was my son, but Gabriel is different, the way he fights for his family, my admiration for him has turned into something more, I never thought I would have feelings like this, I would do anything for Gabriel Agreste no matter the cost.” She paused, looking down at her shoes in shame. “But now, he went too far, using his own son… Adrien has the Peacock miraculous now, Gabriel is making him use it, and whatever effects that jewel had on Emilie, they are now affecting Adrien as well…”

    “Nathalie, what happened, why are you telling us that now?” Carapace asked dangerously, with an expression so foreign to his usual cool one.

    “He’s out of control, in the last Akuma attack, Adrien disobeyed him, and when I walked in the lair, Gabriel was trying to kill him, I don’t even know what would have happened if I didn’t get there on time.” She sobbed.

* * *

 

    The heroes drank in every detail of Nathalie’s confession, the stealing of the cat miraculous, the threats, the way Gabriel would lash at his son, the damage the peacock miraculous was imposing on Adrien, at each word, Ladybug’s anger would rise, she fought against all her reflexes not to choke the woman in front of her for allowing all that to happen.

    Fright flared her senses, she was finding it increasingly hard to breathe. For all they knew, Adrien could be dead already. Her love so brutally taken from their world.

    They needed to go, they needed to stop that sick man once and for all, and God help her, they needed to save Adrien. She had to believe he still was alive, she had to-

    “How do we know this is not a trap?” Rena asked in suspicion.

    “You don’t, but it’s your best chance, your only chance. I know that what I did is unforgivable, but…” Cobalt eyes turned to Ladybug, “Ladybug, you saw him, you saw how sick Adrien was. I’m not making this up, please let me help you, I want to end this, I know how to get in the lair, Adrien is in there, the odds that he’s still alive are fewer with each minute we waste here.”

    Ladybug came to a decision right there. _You hold on for a bit, Adrien, we’re coming!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter, it had way too many flashbacks (They're never enough), however, they were necessary for the story to develop. And I might have quoted Nathalie from "Stormy Weather 2", who knows?  
>  Next chapter: Next chapter: “Ade, wake up, we’re here, please don’t let it be too late!” She sobbed.  
> Hope you liked it and see you next chapter.


	13. My Body is a Cage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sh*t’s going down!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Peter Gabriel – My Body is a Cage

“Ok, Nathalie, I’m going with you, Bee you’re following me, Rena and Carapace you’re meeting the Master, tell him what happened.” Ladybug commanded.

“Nu-uh, girl! We’re all going together, if this is a trap, the four of us will have a better chance than the two of you alone.” Rena argued.

“I agree with foxy here, we can tell him what happened on our way to the mansion. My dude Adrien needs us, and I sure as hell won’t leave him alone with that man.” Carapace retorted.

“Mr Agreste will regret ever laying a finger on Adrikins!” Queen Bee proclaimed.

“Are you sure guys? This could be our most dangerous mission ever!”

“Let’s just save Adrien already.” Carapace groaned impatiently.

Nathalie watched the heroes, smirking as she was almost sure who they were underneath their masks. She knew Adrien’s friends all too well, it was one of her tasks on keeping an eye on the blond, the way the heroes talked at each other was far too familiar. “Alright, another reason I asked to meet you now, is because Gabriel won’t be home for the night, he’s having a meeting with the Tsurugis, so we will be somewhat safe from him.”

The heroes nodded, adrenaline already pumping their systems as they were preparing to save their partner.

“So, who is carrying me there?” The assistant asked.

* * *

 

 A few blocks later, the team arrived at the mansion, Carapace gently dropped Nathalie, who went to the large gate. She pressed a button on her keys, and the gate opened automatically.

When she opened the door, the heroes entered, feeling the eerie environment surrounding them.

“Damn, this place gives me the creeps.” Carapace commented.

Not a single sound was heard inside, Nathalie headed to the study, knocking to confirm that no one was indeed in there. When she got no response, she slowly opened the door, raising a hand for the heroes to follow her.

Ladybug felt so out of place in that study. Any other time she would be pinching herself in disbelief for being inside the room where her idol created his most iconic pieces of clothes. But now, after hearing everything about what that man had done to his family, for his family, she couldn’t help but trying to contain her tears from falling. She was feeling so many different emotions at the same time. Fear, for what they might find inside the secret room, relief for finally putting an end to this nightmare, anger for what that man had done to his own son, and terror for how they would find Adrien. From what the assistant had told them, things would not be looking good.

The spotted heroine observed the assistant approaching the imponent portrait of Mrs Agreste. The older woman pressed a specific part of the painting as if pushing a secret code, “Get behind me.” She ordered them.

The team stood right behind her, and as she pushed the secret buttons, a trapdoor opened under them, and they descended in a secret elevator.

After their short trip inside the small elevator, its doors opened to reveal a massive basement. The dimly illuminated room had bridges on both sides with large cables passing underneath. The main bridge right in front of them connected to a garden on the other side of the room. Ladybug squinted her eyes, and that’s when she saw it. There was a glass box, like a coffin resting in the middle of the garden, and right next to it, a human-shaped form was slumped on the floor.

The heroine left her friends behind and vaulted towards the small garden. She covered her mouth to contain the gasp that was released, as she took in the sight in front of her.

Inside that pristine glass coffin was a woman who Ladybug had only seen in photographs, who she had only heard about less than an hour ago. Bluebell eyes drifted below, and a sob escaped her mouth. Resting against the glass box was said woman’s son, Adrien. He didn’t seem to be awake, his form was curled in fetal position, shivering. One arm was stretched, chained to the coffin, with the clear purpose of keeping its owner in the room.

The blonde seemed to be having trouble breathing as a wheezing sound could be heard every time his chest moved. Ladybug kneeled, letting her fingers run smoothly through his hair. He looked so frail, so thin. And the bruises, who could have hurt this boy like this, there were marks on his arms and neck. His nose was smeared with dried blood. The heroine wept silently, hearing the gasps behind her coming from her teammates.

Carapace kneeled next to her, a hesitating green-gloved hand slowly approaching the unconscious boy. He tugged at the chain, however, it didn’t stir even an inch. “Adrien, bro, please wake up… wake up…” He repeated in a low voice.

Queen Bee couldn’t say a word, tears were flowing down her face, the snarky teen being completely silent for the first time in her life. Rena rested a hand on Ladybug’s shoulder, futilely trying to contain her own emotions for the sake of her friends.

“Ade, wake up, we’re here, please don’t let it be too late!” She sobbed, her voice an octave higher than usual.

“How could you let this happen?” Carapace turned angrily to Nathalie who was muttering apologies, sniffling back some tears, her current posture clashing with her usual kept one.

Ladybug’s mind was racing, trying to come up with a plan to break the handcuffs that were trapping her crush’s feeble arm. Suddenly her protective instincts took over, “LUCKY CHARM!”, she screamed. A clip fell to her hands, and she knew exactly what to do.

“We’re getting you out of this damn place.” Shakily, she bent the clip and proceeded to lockpick the handcuffs, however, due to her nerves, she wasn’t succeeding. The heroine started to swear to herself, her vision started to blur due to the water that was being released from her eyes, making her mission of pick locking those insulting pieces of metal even harder.

“May I?” Rena asked behind her in a comprehensive tone.

“It’s just, he’s usually the one to break us free whenever we’re trapped, and now-“ She took a deep shaking breath, not able to finish the sentence.

“It’s okay, girl, I understand, this is hardly the first lock I’ve ever picked. When you’re a journalist, you learn a trick or two about this stuff.” Rena consoled her, her own voice thick with emotion, “Done!”, she exclaimed triumphally.

The previously trapped arm fell limply to the ground, an ugly red patch of irritated skin enveloped the bony wrist of the boy’s arm, some parts were already bruised and swollen because of the lack of blood flow.

    Carapace and Queen Bee lifted Adrien until he was in a sitting position, his limp head bobbing back. The green superhero, hugged his best friend, lifting him up, so he could carry him away from the horrifying basement, however, just as he was starting to rise to his feet, tired green eyes peeked from behind golden eyelashes.

    Adrien began to stir, and the turtle hero laid him on the floor to give him space the moment he noticed his best friend was starting to wake up.

    Ladybug ran to his side, her earrings beeped indicating she was running out of time. She placed his head on her lap and started to softly fondle his hair. When emerald irises finally met sapphire ones, it was like something possessed the blond, as he scrambled away from her hold. Adrien looked at her in terror, gripping the glass coffin, his body curling into a ball, as he raised his knees in front of his chest to shield himself from the other heroes.

    “Please…” He rasped, his voice clearly strained from all the abuse it had endured these last days, “you have to go, he will see you, it will be worse, please!” He begged, gasping for air.

    “What? Adrien, you’re safe, we’re here! We’ve come for you!” Ladybug argued, her heart breaking for the frightened boy in front of her.

    “I can’t risk them! Please… forgive me!” He cried, weakly calling for his transformation.

    All the occupants in the room froze as they watched their friend turn into the mysterious Hawkmoth’s helper. The scarlet heroine stared gobsmacked at the boy in front of her. He was so beautiful, the way his suit was designed, her designer eyes couldn’t help but notice the delicate details of the peacock miraculous, perfectly harmonizing with the delicate features of its wearer.

    The scene was only interrupted by a dark chuckle looming from behind them, “We meet at last, Ladybug!” Hawkmoth snarked, behind him a swarm of butterflies started to fill the massive room.

* * *

 

    Ladybug looked at Nathalie betrayed, “Don’t worry, she didn’t know I was here. She actually tried to help you, although she unwillingly helped me even more, talk about a competent secretary” The villain mocked.

    “You’re sick, using your son like that, how can you?” Carapace shouted.

    “This is also for him,” The villain’s eyes drifted toward his assistant who had crumbled to the floor, defeated by her own stupidity, none of the heroes seemed to have noticed her, the villain smirked, “Fly away my little Akuma and evilize her!”, and with that, one dark Akuma flew towards Nathalie, possessing her. When the dark bubbles left her body, a scarlet villain stood in the secretary’s place.

    “Nathalie!” Rena Rouge shouted.

    “My name is not Nathalie anymore! I’m Catalyst now!” The villainess said as she approached her master, “Hawkmoth I give you the power to send out as many akumas as you wish. From now on, you are the powerful Scarlet Hawkmoth!” And with those words, the villain’s suit changed its colour.

    Ladybug’s earrings beeped once again, “Someone is running out of time!” Hawkmoth taunted.

    The heroine, however, ignored his comment, turning to the fragile boy, who seemed to be struggling to even stand on his feet. “Adrien, please, don’t do this! I know that he has threatened you, but I promise you, your friends are safe! He can’t hurt them!”

    “Don’t listen to her, son! She has no way of protecting them from me! Do you really want to risk their safety for her?”

    The blond froze, looking between Hawkmoth and Ladybug. His doubts, however, were erased as Ladybug’s earrings beeped a final time, a pink light enveloped the heroine, and when they subsided, a very familiar girl stood in her place.

    “Marinette?” Adrien whispered in recognition.

    “Yes, it’s me! I’m safe, you don’t need to help him! None of us is in danger! We’re all here!” She cried.

    Their exchange, however, was interrupted by Hawkmoth, who had decided that now was the perfect time to attack. Three more butterflies had been corrupted while the heroes were all distracted, chasing after the three newbies in the team. They stood their ground, defending the untransformed Ladybug and themselves from being possessed.

    The next moments passed like a blur, the heroes were getting fatigued, both Catalyst and Hawkmoth have been revealed to be excellent fighters as well, the akumas were still at large, and Marinette didn’t have any more cookies to feed her kwami. The teen realized at that moment just how unprepared they were for this fight, they had recklessly rushed into the mansion, desperate to rescue their friend, her love. She was standing in the middle of a circle made by her teammates to protect her from the villain. Carapace’s bracelet was beeping already as he had to unleash his power to protect them all when the fight was getting to hard for the three heroes to handle.

    She grasped the Lucky Charm Adrien had given her on her birthday, pleading for some miracle. Her pleas seemed to have been heard, as a feather connected to the charm, “No!” She screamed.

    “Marinette, I now know the truth! Let me help you in your time of need, let me give you a guardian, let me protect you one last time, my lady…” the strained voice of her love resonated inside her head. Her vision got blurry with tears, “You’re too weak to handle this Adrien, please don’t do that!” She knew, they needed help, but he was so sick already. If he used the power of his damaged miraculous again, he may not survive, she couldn’t bear losing him, there must be another way!

    “Bugaboo," He called her by the sweet nickname he had given her, "let me help you, let this be the last good thing I do, you won’t stand a chance like this…” his voice was shaking.

    Marinette looked at her friends, Carapace’s miraculous beeped one final time, he transformed back to Nino, the teen didn’t even have time to stand up as a scarlet Akuma flew towards him. She saw Rena shouting in despair. Queen Bee was hardly standing her ground. The designer closed her eyes crying silently, “Ok… Adrien, I… I love you!”

    “I love you too!” He answered. And with that, a majestic and giant phoenix flew from the floor behind her.

* * *

 

  Hawkmoth who had sneaked to steal her miraculous in the middle of the mess that was happening took a few steps back. The giant bird flew after him, trying to attack him, but he saw how it was faltering, as if it was lacking in energy, it reflected just how weak its master was.

Although he still needed to be careful, he smirked. Both Rena Rouge and Queen Bee were fighting Catalyst and the akumatized turtle hero, at the same time defending themselves from the butterflies that were still chasing after them. Marinette ran to his son’s side, the latter, using her will to control the beast he had created. In a quick motion, Hawkmoth grabbed one butterfly, corrupting it with his hands and released it.

The new Akuma flew straight to his son’s miraculous, fusing with it before any of them could prevent it.

“NOOOO!!” Marinette screamed. The villain didn’t even need to convince his son. The boy was far too weak to prevent the possession, his spirit was broken, his mind was reeling in negative emotions.

Both the teen and the beast he had created changed to a sick blue colour. The Phoenix was no longer protecting Ladybug, it was at his mercy, both of them were at his mercy, victory had never been so close. The last two standing heroes were so distracted by what had happened, that they didn’t even notice the giant bird changing its target from Hawkmoth towards them.

“Give up, Ladybug! Look around you, you’re surrounded, I won! If you want to save them, give me the earrings! Adrien will have his mother back, he won’t remember any of this, you won’t have to worry about us anymore!” The villain argued.

Marinette looked around the room, the Phoenix had managed to pine both Rena and Queen Bee on the ground. Nino and Nathalie were walking towards them to fetch their miraculous. She looked at Adrien who had blood flowing from his nose, he was kneeling, using his last strength to control his creation, he was no longer in control of his own body, he was just a shell of the boy she had loved since that day on the rain in school.

In a last desperate act, she ripped the lucky charm, its beads falling to the floor releasing the feather that was powering the Phoenix. It dissolved into thin air, and a wail of pain was heard as the love of her life fell to the ground. It was too late however, the fallen heroines had been stripped from their powers, two akumas had fused with them possessing them both. She was alone, truly alone this time, “Smart move, very Ladybug-like, I must admit. Too late, unfortunately. Last chance, give me your miraculous and you all walk out of here just fine.”

She closed her eyes, with a silent apology to her kwami she started to remove her earrings, weeping as she remembered everything that had happened since she was given this amazing gift. Before Ladybug, she was only a clumsy girl, trying to survive school, she had friends, but no one was really close to her and she didn’t have the confidence to get close to anyone. But then, Alya came to school, and she gained a best friend. Then she was given a pair of earrings and an amazing partner who showered her in affection. She regretted not having appreciated her partner more, but that was only because she was so distracted by the new boy that had joined her class, this extraordinary, kind, ray of sunshine, that in the end had revealed himself to be the Cat that followed her through everything that was being put in their way. And now… Now he was dying, betrayed by a man who had never deserved to be called his father.

She handed her dearest possession to said man, who had detransformed to retrieve the ring hidden in his vest, her kwami had disappeared into thin air, renounced by her chosen. Her teammates and Nathalie had returned to normal, starting to make sense of their surroundings. Nino recovered rapidly as he started to run towards the villain trying to stop him.

Gabriel, however, was faster than any of them, and before Nino could tackle him, he joined the two most powerful miraculous, which had fused together like two magnets, and shouted, “I WISH MY WIFE WAS ALIVE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started the story with this particular scene in mind, so it feels good to be finally posting it.  
>  Anyway, hope you liked the chapter, and see you next chapter.   
> Next chapter: No sneak peek this time, ahahah!! I'll update soon so there's no need to worry :)


	14. Exit music for a film

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mama is back!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Exit music for a film – Radiohead  
> This song goes so well with this chapter, here's the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50rlHVe6g9Q

Darkness. A great void empty of any light, or any sort of feeling whatsoever, was all that surrounded her. It had been like that for a while. She didn’t exactly know for how long, but she was sure that some time must have passed since she got trapped in this senseless world of oblivion.

The blonde woman was already used to this new strange universe, although she missed her family so much it physically hurt. Was she dead? Was she stuck in some kind of limbo, waiting for her next life?

Suddenly, the familiar feelings of nothingness changed to something different, something cold.

Suddenly, she started to hear voices. Correct that, she started to hear screams, agonizing screams of despair, although she didn’t recognize the voice. She thought she might have heard Gabriel screaming her name, but that was impossible, she was alone, trapped in this strange place.

The environment around her started to get even colder, and the voices even louder, and that’s when she felt it. For the first time after what felt like an eternity, she felt a touch on her skin.

 

* * *

 

Green eyes opened for the first time after a whole year of sleepiness. Émilie was lying on the floor, her head was resting on someone’s legs. When she looked at the face staring back at her, she couldn’t stop the water gates in her eyes, as she stared at her husband’s grey eyes for the first time since what seemed like forever.

“Gab- Gabriel…” Her voice was hoarse, clearly not being used for a long time.

“My love, you’re here! You’re finally here!” He sobbed, placing soft kisses on her forehead.

She was so confused. Why was her husband sobbing like that? What happened? The last thing she remembered was getting terribly sick, then the endless darkness, and now, she was here, in a place she didn’t recognize, being held by her husband who was sobbing as she had died.

OH GOD!! Did she die? She was so sick, so certain she would perish from her strange condition. But then, how was she back? What had Gabriel done to save her? To bring her back from oblivion?

“Gabriel, what did you do?” She asked, her voice quivering from fear.

“It doesn’t matter, my darling! You’re here. We can finally be together again, as a family.”

A family… They could be together as a family. But she had died. She had left her family. Her damaged miraculous had taken from her the opportunity to watch her son grow up, to be the fine man she was certain he would be.

Émilie’s eyes widened in terror as she remembered her son. What had happened to him? How was he dealing with her disappearance? Had he forgotten her? A small part of her hoped that had happened, so he wouldn’t suffer, while another selfish part of her wished he was here, the two of them finally reunited.

She sat abruptly, startling Gabriel, as she took in her surroundings for the first time. She was in a massive room with a small garden and a broken glass casket. Her eyes drifted to Nathalie, and she smiled, content to see that their faithful assistant was still with them, although the brunette was staring back at her with a baffled expression. Next to their employee, two teens were also staring at her in complete shock, the boy was sobbing in a mix of shock and despair, leaving Émilie completely confused. She had no idea who they were, had never seen them before. Were they Adrien’s friends? Next to them was Chloé, she looked so different, she had grown so much since the last time Émilie had seen her, she too looked completely devastated.

Now, the woman was terribly bewildered. Why were they all here? Why did they all look so sad? Did something else happen?

Suddenly, she heard a ceaseless wail mixed with some unintelligible words. In the middle of those cries, she heard something, “Adrien… open your eyes, please!”

The woman’s heart seemed to have stopped at those piercing cries. “Adrien…” She whispered. Scurrying to her feet, she ran to the source of the wails, ignoring Gabriel’s cries for her to stop.

Arriving at her destiny, Émilie had to fight the urge to throw up, as she saw a girl holding her unconscious son. The girl was a mess, she had a loose pigtail, and was sobbing desperately, pulling Adrien’s limp head to her chest. She approached them carefully, noticing the girl pull her son even closer to her body as if shielding him from any possible threat.

 “What happened?” She asked the strange girl who was muttering apologies to Adrien. Her heart constricted in her chest as she took in the appearance of her son.

He was beautiful, so much taller than the last time she had seen him, however, in this girl’s arms, he looked so small, so fragile. He was so thin, so pale, a thin trail of blood made its way down his nose and chin, patches of dried blood also adorned his clothes, his neck was severely bruised, as well as his arms and wrists as if he had been attacked and bounded against his will.

All air seemed to have stopped entering her lungs as she noticed the small brooch on his shirt. Her brooch, her damaged, damn miraculous, which had killed her once, was on her baby’s body. Gears started to shift in her head, as she came to a terrible realization. Her doubts were answered when Gabriel approached them from behind, he as well shocked at seeing their limp son.

The girl’s devastated posture changed to one of fury, as she sent daggers at Gabriel with her stare. She held Adrien even closer, and the other teens in the room, seeing the designer approaching the young couple, ran to their side as well, standing between the adults and Adrien, as if shielding him from Gabriel.

“Do not touch him! You got what you wanted, just leave!!” The girl shouted at Gabriel, stroking Adrien’s hair. Émilie’s was finally starting to make sense of what might have happened, as she took a step away from her husband’s side. Looking at him in terror, she asked slowly, “Gabriel, what did you do?”

“Darling, it was for you, I couldn’t live without you, Adrien couldn’t live without you…” He argued.

“Can you stop manipulating your family for once?” The girl wearing glasses said enraged.

“What?” The blonde woman asked confused.

“He used his own son to bring you back! He lied to him, threatened him, and even attempted to kill him when he wouldn’t obey his demands to get the miraculous.” The teen boy confessed, shaking in fury and grief.

“You did what?” Émilie’s voice quivered. A feeling of anger and betrayal consuming her soul. The instinct to protect her child kicked in, as she kneeled next to him, and rested a hand on his face feeling its wetness from what she was certain was spilt tears.

“Émilie, please, you have to believe me, he also wanted you back, he helped me willingly.”

“That’s because you threatened him, you bastard!” Chloé shouted, not attacking him as she was being held by both the other teens.

The sobbing girl on the floor carefully placed Adrien on the floor, rising to her shaky knees, she ran towards Gabriel. She tried to punch him, but the older man held both her arms to restrain her, as the girl squirmed to try to escape his grip. Between sobs, she shouted, “YOU KNEW!! You knew the miraculous was damaged, you knew what it could do to a person, and you gave it to him anyway!! You made him hurt himself to satisfy your selfish desires! You willingly traded his life for your wife’s!” Her voice broke in the end, as the girl gave up on trying to attack the designer, exhausted from all the strong emotions.

Gabriel let go of her and tentatively walked towards Émilie, who was hugging her son, sobbing in despair, after everything she had learnt.

“DON’T!” She threatened, her body language could be compared to a lioness protecting its cub.

“Darling, please…” He reached a hesitating hand towards his family.

“DO NOT SPEAK TO ME!! DO NOT EVEN LOOK AT ME!! You traded your son, your child for me? How could you? You are a monster, a beast! So, do not come near me or my baby, do you understand?” Émilie was shaking in fury, rocking back and forward with Adrien close to her chest, she hugged him and kissed his hair, muttering apologies, feeling utterly guilt for all the agonizing moments her son had been through for her.

Sirens were heard, and suddenly, Nathalie had come back to the room, followed by the police and paramedics. Émilie didn’t even notice the assistant leaving, but she was glad she had called for help, as she was certain that if no one showed up to restrain her husband, she might have killed him herself.

Heavily armed men approached Gabriel from behind, the designer tried to escape from their grip, but they were quick to arrest him.

“ÉMILIE, LOVE!! THIS WAS FOR YOU, I LOVE YOU!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!” He yelled maniacally, and that was the moment she realized that her husband was no longer there with them. The Gabriel she knew and loved with all her heart was gone, perhaps ever since she was ultimately defeated by her own miraculous.

Two paramedics approached her, one rested a comforting hand on her shoulder while the other tried to separate her from her child. This only seemed to trigger even more her motherly instincts as she hugged her baby tightly.

It was a mess, between Gabriel’s insane shouts as he was being dragged outside the room by the police, Nathalie being arrested as well, despite the woman being strangely calm as if a weight has been lifted from her shoulders, and the teens' sobs as they watched all the commotion. She only wished they could turn back time, to that moment in Tibet when they had found the magical jewels for the first time. She would have never taken them if she knew what would happen in the future. Her family has been destroyed because of them. Damn those jewels, damn the people who had created them. Damn these medics who wanted to take her child from her! Her baby was dead because of her, her husband had gone mad because of her naiveness. How could she had ever thought that they could be heroes? She had only wanted to help people, to make Paris a better place, and instead, she only dragged the ones she loved down.

More paramedics came through the secret elevator, as they approached the other teens, tending their injuries, it was only then that Émilie had realized that they were also hurt, Gabriel had hurt them when they tried to save her baby. The medics who had come for her and Adrien didn’t leave them. Eventually, one of them was able to grab her son’s frail wrist, checking for a pulse.

“Hm, Madame?” The medic asked, “He has a pulse. He’s not dead, please let us treat him.”

She sighed in relief, “He’s alive?” She asked, slowly letting go of Adrien to let the paramedics work.

“He is. But he needs to be treated right away, he’s hanging for a thread, we need to help him. You can come with us if you want.”

She let go of him, letting the paramedics put his unconscious body on a stretcher. They immediately started to work on him, connecting his right arm to an IV line. None of them wasted any time. They were the last ones to get out of the daunting room, running towards the ambulance in an emergency.

“Please, save my baby… You hang in there, sweetie…” She pleaded, sobs racking her exhausted body, as she seated next to her child inside the ambulance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter!! Gabriel had his wish only for it to completely turn against him. I promise I’ll stop hurting our cat-son, but there’s still much to do before the story is over.  
> Thank you for all the lovely reviews, and see you next chapter!


	15. Take Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting is the most frustrating thing a person can be subjected to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: Beach House – Take Care

In a cold white room, filled with chairs and an old vending machine, sat a blonde woman, anxiously waiting for any news about her son’s condition.

A migraine had settled in her head, a million thoughts were swivelling inside her mind, as she sat, bouncing her leg in a nervous habit of her. Tears were making trails down her face as she kept remembering all that had happened since her revival. Her baby was currently fighting for his life in an operation table because of her. Her husband had traded his life for hers. Had he planned to do that since she had fallen into eternal sleep? Did he know what the wish would cost? It didn’t matter, he had hurt her little miracle, he had threatened him, used him, he knew the miraculous was damaged and he still made his own child wear it. For what Émilie cared, that man could rot in hell for what he did, for making her baby’s life a living hell.

She glanced at the clock placed on the simple white wall in front of her, 5 AM, she read. She had been sitting inside that impersonal waiting room for four hours, and still, no doctor or nurse had come to inform her about her baby’s state. Émilie knew it was bad, it was so grave. He was in such bad shape. Despite having a pulse when they got to the ambulance, his heart had stopped twice on their way to the hospital. She had to witness the medics' frantic attempts at reviving her son, she had to watch how his thin body convulsed at each shock they administered to his heart. How they kept prickling his skin with needles to give him the meds he so desperately needed. How they shoved a tube down his throat to make him breathe, as his lungs had shut down from all the strain that they had endured.

They told her that his organs were shutting down one by one, that his heart was suffering myocardial ischemia, which she knew that it meant that he was having an infarction.

The blonde woman brought her hands to her face, sobbing madly. Suddenly, a hand rested on her shoulder.

“Are you Émilie?” She looked up. A strange couple was looking back at her, themselves with a mourning expression. The small Chinese woman had a hand resting on her shoulder as if attempting to bring her comfort, as if to reassure her that she was not alone.

“I, I am” She answered, not able to keep her voice steady.

“We know your son. Our daughter is one of his friends." The woman said softly, a small smile gracing her lips. "In fact, she’s madly in love with him, although I don’t think he knows that.” 

Émilie chuckled lightly at her comment. Her baby was still the innocent little bean she had always known. She sobered immediately, the fact that she might never speak to him again haunting her.

“I’m Sabine by the way. This is my husband Tom.” Sabine introduced themselves, effectively distracting the distressed mother, as she noticed that she was getting antsy, “We’re Marinette’s parents, you probably don’t know her, but she told us what happened, we came as soon as we heard that she was in the hospital. She and her friends are just finishing their check-ups, and they’ll join us. Mari asked us to see how you were holding up.”

Bright green eyes looked pleadingly at the couple, getting brighter and brighter as water accumulated, “They still haven’t told me anything… They wheeled him into surgery, and they’re still there. He was such in bad shape, he, his heart, his hea-“ She couldn’t finish her sentence. Sabine, hugged her tightly, letting the blonde woman sob in her arms. She and Tom crying as well.

 

* * *

 

Between all her daughter’s friends, Adrien was the one Sabine appreciated the most. When they first met, she saw immediately how much of a gentleman he was. She had always noticed how much he craved for affection, so she and Tom would, subtletily, give the boy more sweets, and hugs than the others. After learning that her daughter was in love with him, she couldn’t be happier. Of course, her amazing daughter would choose such a kind boy to love.

Eventually, Émilie’s sobs subsided, and as she regained her composure, Tom, who was sitting right next to her commented, “It’s okay, you’ll see he’s going to make it! Adrien is strong, I know he’s going to survive all this. We all are.”

The woman smiled at them, thanking them softly, for their support, “I’m sorry that you had to see me like this! You don’t know me at all, and yet, you’re still here, thank you so much… I’m glad that my son had such a lovely couple looking after him.”

“It’s okay, darling. If it was Marinette in there, I know I would be a mess. We understand.”

And, as if she had heard them, Marinette and the whole gang invaded the waiting room. The young girl looking much more distressed now that the shock had settled.

“How is he? Do you have any news?” She questioned quickly.

“No, sweetie, they still haven’t told us anything,” Tom informed her.

“How is that possible? How can they leave us here in the dark for so long? For how long has he been there, anyway?” Nino paced nervously.

“Four hours…” Émilie answered silently.

Chloé, who was ready to go after the nearest health professional she could find and scream at him to give her news of her childhood friend’s condition, looked at her, suddenly remembering the agony the blonde woman must be going through.

The teen ran to her side, kneeling in front of her as if to bring a sense of closure. She had always seen Émilie like a mother, sometimes she thought that she even loved her more than her own mum, as Audrey rarely showed any affection towards her.

“Oh, Émilie! You must be so frightened right now! You’ll see he’s going to make it! He has to!”

“You still don’t know us! I’m Alya, she’s Marinette and he’s Nino! We’re Adrien’s best friends from school.” Alya introduced.

“From school? He’s going to school?” The woman asked perplexed, she didn’t know what else had changed in the time she was absent.

“He goes, and he loves it there! Well, at least until Mr Agreste had taken him away, that is…” Nino commented, walking towards her.

At hearing her husband’s name, Émilie started to tremble in a mix of anger and utter sadness. Her gaze drifted immediately to the floor below her.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned his name! But he was such a terrible father. Every time Adrien showed up in class looking miserable, it was always because of something related to him.” Nino explained.

“It’s okay, I… I just feel so helpless right now! And guilty... my baby son is fighting for his life right now because of me...” she broke once again.

“The only person to blame of all this mess is Gabriel and no one else, do you understand?” Marinette firmly stood. In a fresh wave of determination, she approached the woman, “None of this is your fault! We know what happened, and I can tell that everything you did, the reason why you used your miraculous that last time, was to protect both you and your son. I only hope that he, that he…” She as well fell to the floor, sobbing. Alya ran to her side, hugging her tightly. And that’s how all the group stood in that cold waiting room.

* * *

 

**Mood song: Karen O - The Moon Song**

_“Mum?”_

_“Yes, sweetie?” Émilie asked. She and Adrien were both lying down on a patch of grass in the endless lavender field, the one they used to rest every time they went on vacation to the south of France. It was a family tradition, every year, the three members of the Agreste family would take a road trip to Cannes. Despite all the money they had, Gabriel and Émilie always made sure that they would always make this trip, as it was the first one they had ever made when they started dating. Mother and son were staring at the blue sky, watching the white fluffy clouds floating calmly._

_“Do you think I will ever meet my soulmate?”_

_“What? Why are you asking that?” Émilie chuckled at the odd question. Her son was only twelve years old, but she knew that he would be a hopeless romantic, he already was._

_“I don’t know. I just, you and dad are so happy, I only wish that I will have someone special one day.”_

_“Well, Adrien. You are such a fine young man it would be impossible that no one would fall for you.” She answered, turning her face to look at her little miracle. He had his eyes closed, taking in the sunlight, he was so handsome already. He truly was the greatest gift that she had been given._

_“Yes, but I’m already twelve, and I still haven’t met anyone who seems to be interested in me. No offence to Chloé, but I don’t think I would want to spend the rest of my life being crushed by her hugs.” He chuckled. He then looked at her with those green pleading eyes, that she had long ago patented as his kitten eyes. She prepared herself for what he was going to ask,  “What if I went to school? It would be easier to find her! Or simply a friend, I only know Chloé…”_

_“Oh, my sunshine! You are still so young, and the world is such a cruel place for that soft heart of yours, maybe next year you can join school. But you’ll see, you still have plenty of time to find her.”_

_Adrien gasped dramatically, raising himself to his elbows. Émilie could only laugh at her son’s antics. He was just so extra sometimes, “How can you say I’m so young? I’m already twelve! I’m a teenager now, I need to find her fast if I don’t want to be alone for the rest of my life!”_

_“Oh, sweetie! You’re not going to end up alone!” She laughed, “Besides, if, by any strike of bad luck that happens, you’re always going to have me and your father!”_

_“Do you promise?”_

_“Promise what?”_

_“That you and father will never leave me?”_

_“Pumpkin, of course, I promise you that! No matter what happens, you’re stuck with us!”_

_“Are you ready to go?” Gabriel joined them._

_“Already?” Adrien whined._

_“Yes, already, or do you want to stay here forever?” Gabriel teased._

_“I wouldn’t mind actually, it’s so warm in here!” The teen commented._

_“Well, we can stay, but I doubt that you’ll have the same opinion when the night comes, and there’s no light, who knows what could be lurking around.” The designer commented with a smirk, going after Adrien, imitating a monster, only to wrap his son in a bear hug, pretending to bite him._

_“Dad, stop!! I’m not a child anymore!” Adrien squirmed, bursting out laughing._

* * *

 

 “Em…”

“Émilie…”

She felt her body being shaken lightly. Emerald eyes opened groggily, the lovely memory of her once happy family being replaced by the sterile environment of the hospital waiting room.

“What, what happened?” She asked confused.

“You dozed off, you must be exhausted!” Sabine answered, “The doctors are here, Adrien’s surgery is over.”

The news seemed to have electrocuted her, as she jumped in her chair, staring at the sombre faces of the doctors in front of her.

“How is he?” She asked, her heart bursting of hope.

“Mrs Agreste, your son’s condition is quite complicated. He was in septic shock, the fluids we gave him were not enough as his organs were already failing. His kidneys, his liver, his lungs and his heart were all damaged. We needed to operate him since, as you know he was already having an infarction, which means that part of his heart muscle was dead. He also has pneumonia which can be due to the sepsis. The surgery was extremely hard, but he made it through, we’re administering antibiotics to try to fight the sepsis and pneumonia, but it seems that this one is very resistant, we should wait and see how the treatment goes. Due to all the internal damage he has, and the high fever he also presents, we induced him in a coma, and are lowering his temperature to prevent any damage to the brain. We don’t know when he’s going to wake up. I’m sorry.”

Her eyes widened at the news. Adrien was alive, but in such a terrible condition, by the doctor’s faces, and from what they told her, they didn’t believe he was going to survive. They didn’t explicit that, but she could tell.

“Can we see him?” Marinette asked, her voice strained from the stress.

“He’s in the ICU, so we’re only allowing one visitor in the room, a doctor or a nurse will always be there, monitoring him. There’s also another issue…” The doctor told them.

“What?”

“The police is here, they want to speak with you because of Mr Agreste. Adrien has some bruises which led us to believe that he was battered. I know that talking to them is the last thing any of you want but this can’t be delayed. I’m terribly sorry.”

“It’s okay, thank you, doctor. If you could just show me his room, so I could see him.” Émilie was finding that keeping her voice steady was extremely difficult.

“Of course, follow me, please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel might have been caught, but there’s still much to do for things to be right again.  
> So, I haven't written the next chapter yet, but since I'll have a week of Easter break, I'll try to post next week, just wanted you to know, that from now on, the updates will not be so frequent as they have been until now.  
> Anyway, hope you liked this chapter.  
> See you next time!


	16. The Departure Suite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette freaks out. Master Fu visits someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: The Leftovers - The Departure Suite

“Can I go with you?”

“We don’t usually let minors in the ICU” The middle-aged doctor argued.

“Please! I don’t even need to enter the room, I just want to see him.” Marinette insisted. The bluenette had never felt so terrified in her life. She felt like she might pass out anytime soon, as her heart was racing inside her ribcage, and her insides felt as if they were twisting into knots. The love of her life was currently lying on a bed, God knows in what condition. Not even the doctors seemed to be convinced he was going to make it. But they didn’t know him. They didn’t know the wonderful and strong boy she had fallen in love with. So, a shred of hope was still pulsating inside her chest. Marinette only wanted to see him, to only catch a glimpse of him would mean the world to her at the moment. She needed to calm her erratic heart, and the only remedy for that was to be in the presence of the love of her life. Even if he couldn’t see her, even if he was unconscious to the world.

“I don’t mind if she comes with us. In fact, I would be thankful for not going alone.” Mrs Agreste defended her, smiling softly at the girl.

The grey-haired doctor sighed, knowing that it was useless to argue against the distressed women, “Alright, but only one can enter the room, the other has to stay outside.”

Both women nodded in understanding.

* * *

 

The walk from the sterile waiting room to the ICU seemed to have lasted forever. Despite their hurried pace, Marinette thought that they were nowhere close to the damn room. So lost she was in her own mind, that she didn’t notice the doctor stop, crashing into his back, which startled her back to reality.

The teen heard a gasp coming from her side, and looking at Mrs Agreste, she saw the woman raising her hands to her mouth, shaking from head to toes as tears started to gather around her eyes. Cerulean eyes followed the older woman’s gaze, a gasp of her own escaping from her mouth, as she took in the sight in front of them.

Behind the transparent glass window, inside a small room, fully packed in various machines, was her beloved partner. His pale form, so small between all the machinery that was keeping him alive, was tucked in bed, endless tubes and cables connected him to his life support. Marinette could only hear the constant beep from one of the machines, indicating his heartbeat. His face was mostly covered by a plastic strap, keeping the tube that was coming from his mouth in place. Lots of different cables were coming out from the blankets that were covering him.

A sob escaped her lips, as she rested her palm against the window separating the two of them. Mrs Agreste had rushed inside the room, followed by the doctor that had brought them there, and a nurse, who had pushed a chair right behind the blonde woman, for her to sit. However, instead of sitting normally, Émilie seemed to have lost the strength in her legs, her body falling in the chair. The nurse helped her get comfortable, and the doctor kneeled next to her, muttering incomprehensible words, silenced by the window separating the teen from the room.

Marinette stood in the busy hallway, watching the commotion inside the room. Struggling to keep her emotions in check as tears were now flowing freely down her face. The boy she loved, completely oblivious to all the stress outside his inner realm. His mother, exhausted from all that had happened to her and around her in those last hours, had finally crashed.

“Hum-hm! Mademoiselle?” A grave voice called behind her.

The secret heroine turned back, searching for the source of the voice. Her crying eyes widened, staring at the strange couple dressed in suits.

“I’m agent Rousseau, and this is agent Dorian. We work for the DCPJ and are in charge of investigating what happened in the Agreste’s house. We heard you were there, so… If you could answer a few questions we have, we would be very thankful. We promise we won’t disturb much…” The strange red-haired woman explained.

Marinette peeked inside the room once more, noticing that Mrs Agreste had woken up. She looked at her sleeping partner, the nurse was adjusting his IV while the doctor spoke to Mrs Agreste. The teen finally acknowledged the inspectors pleading, and nodded in cooperation.

* * *

 

Meanwhile, outside the mansion that was now the centre of everyone’s attention, an old Chinese man in a Hawaiian shirt was watching the swarm of reporters that had invaded the place, not passing the imponent gates as they were being held back by a strong ring of policemen. News vans were rushing there, parking in front of the house. Reporters shouted, trying to be heard, questioning the veracity of the rumours that had spread through Paris like wildfire. Flashes illuminated the street, as everyone wanted to have the picture of the crime scene, of the infamous villain’s lair.

Master Fu eventually managed to sneak inside the building, taking in the eerie ambient surrounding him, clashing with the bursting energy outside.

Yellow tape served as a barrier, warning people not to enter the empty study, from where Gabriel supposedly operated. The Chinese man ignored the silent warning signs, following the instructions Nathalie had given him when he met her after her interrogatory, he rushed to the secret lair. He silently thanked the entity responsible for his spike of luck as no one was inside, although he still needed to be careful not to be caught.

When he finally got inside, the old guardian stood gobsmacked at the mess the room was in. Yellow tape was also surrounding the cavernous division, glass shards were scattered around the small garden in the far end of the room, they certainly belonged to the broken casket resting in the middle. Master Fu took a few steps closer, not missing any detail of the room. His aged experience as a guardian was feeling the presence of some magical artefacts in the lair, and he knew exactly what they were.

The magical influence from the lost jewels was like a chord pulling the guardian towards them. Carefully stepping between the broken glass on the floor, he kneeled, his old age betraying his agility. Peeking through the plants and all the mess, he saw a weak light, pulsing in the middle of the green leaves. To the distracted eye, this light could keep blinking completely unnoticed, Master Fu, however, knew exactly what it was.

Slowly approaching the mysterious light, he departed the plants, to have a better look at what was emanating all that magic he was feeling. He let out a breath of relief, as he found the jewels abandoned on the floor. A pair of black earrings and a silver ring were scattered on the ground, separated after being joined to grant absolute power. He snatched the miraculous, tucking them both in the small pocket of his shirt.

Further inspection of the place helped him find a small yellow comb, an orange necklace and a green bracelet.  He slid the bracelet to his wrist revealing his companion, who fell exhausted into his palms. Snatching a piece of lettuce from his pocket, the old man waved it right in front of his kwami, who seemed to have been revived by the mere smell of his favourite food.

After devouring the piece of lettuce, Waizz looked up to his old master, “I’m sorry, Master! We failed…” The small creature lamented.

“We did, old friend… But not all is lost, there’s still hope…” Master Fu sighed, leaving behind the once-secret room. He still had one more stop before he could go to the hospital.

* * *

 

BZZZZZ!! The sound coming from the speakers on the tiled wall alerted the visitors that their relatives were ready to see them.

Master Fu was sitting on the metal chair inside the private room, secluded from prying eyes. When the heavy door opened in front of him, a handcuffed Gabriel Agreste walked towards him. The old man nodded at the guard who was accompanying the designer, signalling for him to leave.

Once they were alone, Gabriel wouldn’t take his red-rimmed eyes from the guardian. Master Fu stared at the frail man in front of him, his general appearance was dishevelled, never in his long life had Master Fu seen someone so usually controlled looking like the mess the man in front of him was. “I see that they let you keep your clothes” The guardian started, noticing that Gabriel was indeed wearing his normal attire.

“Who are you?” The other man questioned.

“That doesn’t matter, does it? What’s important is that you have something that I lost a long time ago, something that never belonged to you.”

Gabriel stared at him with wide eyes, a sudden realization hitting him like a wave, “You? You, you’re the guardian of the miraculous…”

“I am- “

“You gave my son a miraculous, you made him fight your battles!” Gabriel interrupted.

“The only thing I regret is the mistake I made when I was young, one that made me lose two miraculous, along with a powerful book. Choosing your son to wield the Cat Miraculous, was one of the few good decisions I made, so do not try to blame me for your failures as a father, as a human being.” Master Fu warned.

His last accusation seemed to have slapped the designer in the face, as he dropped his shoulders in defeat, a single tear made its way down his cheek.

“You’re right…” Gabriel sighed, “I was so blind for power, that I willingly used my son to get what I wanted… By saving my wife, I killed my child, and now I’ve lost them both…” His voice quivered, and his shoulders started to shake, as the usually stoic man started to sob.

“Your son is not dead, at least for the time being. He will, if we do nothing, but I have a plan. Not everyone in his life has given up on him.” Master Fu paused, looking at the man in front of him. Gabriel was staring at him, a flicker of hope could be distinguished in his stormy grey eyes.

“I pity you, Gabriel Agreste. You were so obsessed with your wife that you forgot about your own son. And now, that your wife is back, you finally realized how much he means to you. I’m afraid it’s too late now. However, you can still do a good action, and give me back the butterfly miraculous, the more you fight, the further your family will be from you. It’s up to you now, if you want to see your family again, you know what to do…” Master Fu warned.

* * *

  “ _This is it_ …” Gabriel thought as the strange old man in front of him asked for what was rightfully his. He got his wish, all he had done, all he had sacrificed, it all ended up giving him what he wanted the most. Or so he thought…

    Émilie was back, seemingly safe, at least from what he could gather from the few moments they were together before reality came crashing down upon them. How did things turn out so bad? Why did he believe that the wish came without a curse? Of course, there would be a price, after all, his years of experience as a ruthless businessman had taught him that everything in this world had a price, so, why should magic be different?

    He was willing to die for his family, and yet, he hurt the only good thing he had ever made beyond repair. Even if Adrien survived all this madness, he would be scarred for life.

    Trembling hands struggled to reach the pocket containing the butterfly miraculous. Carefully, the designer handed the silver box to the guardian. Sighing, his usually cold gaze, now shining with unshed tears drifted from the unsuspicious box to the seemingly harmless man.

    “What now?” Gabriel asked with a trembling and low voice.

    “Now… we’re setting everything right again. Your wife was never dead, so your son will not perish, that is not the price of your wish. She was trapped, confined to her own body…” The guardian gestured vaguely around them, “As you can see, the true price of your wish is already being paid.”

The old man stood, “Goodbye, Gabriel. Perhaps one day you will find your peace. Perhaps one day, your son will be able to forgive you.” The Guardian left, leaving behind a man resigned to his fate.

* * *

 

“So, you and your friends decided to rush in the manor to save Adrien? How did you know he was in danger?” The blonde detective asked.

Marinette tried to explain everything they asked, close to what really happened, leaving only the secret identities out, which was turning out to be a challenge. “I guess, what he was doing to Adrien was becoming too much, and Nathalie sent a message to my friend Alya, believing that she could contact Ladybug since she owned the Ladyblog…” Her exhausted mind kept shooting excuses mixed with the truth almost automatically. Marinette was totally surprised that her testimony was making sense, “We pressed her for answers, and she told us everything… Hawkmoth’s identity, how he was making his son fight alongside him… How it was draining him… We only wanted to protect our best friend… We… We had to do something…” The teenager sat on a plastic chair outside the room her love was in. Her eyes drifted to the glass wall, contemplating the still form of her partner. Mrs Agreste was looking intently at him, grabbing his frail hand between her own palms.

“Thank you, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” The detectives smiled sympathetically at her.

Once alone, the aspiring designer raised her hands to cover her face, the turmoil inside her was finally bursting through the seams. Never in her short life had she felt as helpless as she was feeling. They had lost, they went to face Hawkmoth unprepared, in rage for what they learnt, completely at the mercy of the controlling powers of the butterfly user. And now, Adrien was paying the price for their recklessness.

She let out a shaky breath, tears streaming down her face. A hand rested on her shoulder, making her flinch slightly. “Marinette…” A voice called behind her. Her head turned slowly towards the source of said voice, acknowledging the man who was trying to comfort her.

“I failed, Master…” she whispered.

“Oh, Marinette! None of this was your fault, this was beyond your control. I’m so proud of you!” Master Fu admitted.

“Yet, Adrien is in that room. He’s dying, Master Fu! I can feel it! It feels like someone is ripping my heart out of my chest! I can feel him fading…” She sobbed.

Master Fu sat next to her, tucking from his Hawaiian shirt a small object. He carefully opened his hand, presenting her the jewels of the Black Cat and the Ladybug.

“Young girl, this is not the end… I know how to solve this. Adrien will be okay, trust me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, I kinda stopped updating. I am so sorry, I really am. It’s just that university got in the way, I had presentations to make, finals to prepare, it was hell, gladly it all ended well. The good news is that I’m finally on Summer break, I’ll try to update frequently. Hope you liked the chapter!  
> Next chapter: “The Ladybug miraculous is capable of many things. As the Cat ring is the only thing capable of destroying the other miraculous, the earrings can restore them. I believe that if we can fix the peacock brooch, the curse affecting Adrien will vanish.”


	17. Creep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabine panics, Émilie is tired, Marinette and Master Fu try something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song - Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Creep

               Sabine’s eyes widened as the huge realization had finally settled upon her. “Oh my God…” She muttered.

               “What is it, honey?” Tom asked concerned.

               “Our daughter is Ladybug! She’s been risking her life all these years!” She felt her husband tense beside her as if he had only come to that realization as well.

               Now that they knew Adrien was alive, the silence of the room allowed them to think about what they had learnt in the last hours. Marinette had sent them a message telling them she was having dinner at Alya’s, so they ate alone, watched their favourite Tv show, and went to bed, not even imagining the horrors their daughter was living trying to save the love of her life. Waking up to a call from the hospital informing them that Marinette and her friends had been admitted in the ER was by far the most terrifying experience that they had ever lived.

               The relief Sabine felt the moment she laid eyes upon her seemingly fine daughter could never be described. Aside from a few scratches on her cheek, she seemed to be physically okay. But they could tell that whatever happened had left her shaken. Nino, Alya and strangely Chloé were also there, they didn’t seem to be hurt, but it was clear that they had been crying, whatever happened had affected all of them.

* * *

 

_“M-Mama!! Papa…” Marinette cried the moment they ran into the observation room._

_Both parents hugged the teen tightly, “What happened?” Tom asked apprehensively._

_“It’s Adrien! I should have done more! We should have saved him!” Their daughter explained in a rush. However, instead of clarifying their doubts, it only got them even more confused._

_“Adrien? What about Adrien?” Sabine questioned, dreading the answer, her heart sinking already._

_“He-He's hurt! They don’t know if he’s going to make it!” Nino sobbed._

_Sabine ran to her daughter, holding her tightly to comfort her and at the same time, to reassure herself that Marinette was indeed safe. Everyone in the room joined the hug in silence, only the occasional sniffs could be heard._

_After a few minutes of warm silence, Marinette was the first one to break it. “Maman?” She called in a small voice._

_“Yes, sweetie?”_

_“Could you and Papa go check on Adrien’s mother? Her name is Émilie… She-She’s alone in the waiting room right now… She must be so worried!” She asked, with her bright blue eyes, an expression Tom and Sabine could never say no to._

_“What about you, sweetie? Are you okay? What happened to you?” Tom questioned._

_“I’m fine. Please, I need to know if there is any news!” She pleaded._

_“We know, darling… But we’re your parents, we deserve to know what happened, don’t you agree?” Tom insisted softly._

_“We… uh… It was his father… He got mad, he was keeping Adrien prisoner in his own house. And he was so sick, I- I…” She closed her eyes and sighed, “Maman, papa, I… I need to tell you something… everything will make sense after I tell you the secret I’ve been keeping from you…” She paused, “I’m Ladybug…” More tears cascaded down her face, “I’m Ladybug and I failed everyone tonight! We just rushed in there, with no plan, and he won! And he got his wish! And Adrien is paying for it now!” Marinette was now sobbing, muttering incoherent words that sounded like apologies. Tom and Sabine could only hug her tighter._

* * *

 

               “Our little girl is a superheroine!!” Sabine was now certain that the erratic beating heart inside her chest and the difficulty she was having breathing were caused by all the anxiety she was feeling.

               Tom squeezed her hands between his, “Sweetie, it’s okay! She’s okay, please, breathe with me!” He said, breathing in exaggerated motions for Sabine to follow. Eventually, the Chinese woman was able to calm herself down.

               “Sabine, I can only imagine how hard it must be for you to learn that your daughter was risking her life every day for the sake of Paris” Alya started, “you must be terrified, however, Marinette is okay, Hawkmoth was arrested… I am so, so proud to call your daughter my best friend. She has saved me multiple times, she trusted me to help her, she trusted us all! She was never alone out there!” The brunette argued.

               Sabine considered her words, “I know… but… this is terrifying… however, we won’t stop her…” She smiled at the teens, “We know that you have an obligation to Paris, so we will help! Whenever you need a place to rest, you’ll always be welcome in our house! Everything will be alright, you’ll see!” At least, she hoped so.

* * *

 

               “So you’re saying that the meds are not working?” Émilie stared pleadingly at the doctor.

               “Yes. We started giving him antibiotics the moment he was admitted, so they should have been working by now, however, we haven’t registered any difference in his health, we can almost tell that he seems to be getting worse by the minute.” The doctor informed soberly.

               The blonde woman rested her hands on her head. This was all so much for her to handle right now. Ever since she was awakened from her endless slumber, the universe seemed to be targeting her specifically. Perhaps that was the cost of her forceful resurrection. Dead should stay dead, and the livings should just move on with their lives. Gabriel though, he was not used to be denied anything. If he wanted something, he would get it, even if that meant meddling with the most superior laws of the universe. Tired green eyes drifted from the still form of her son connected to the multiple tubes that were keeping him alive to the old doctor who was waiting for a reaction from her. “Isn’t,” she cleared the itch in her throat that was preventing her to speak, “Isn’t there anything else we can do?”

               The doctor scratched his head as if trying to get the right words off his mind. As if he was preparing himself to tell her the dreadful news, “I’m afraid there’s nothing else we can do but wait. You must understand that his condition is incredibly delicate, if only we could treat the sepsis, his chance of survival would be greater. I honestly had never seen an infection this resistant, if it keeps developing at this rate, his organs will shut down, his kidneys are already failing, we might have to get him into surgery, which we are not certain that he will handle. He’s getting worse at a fast rate.”

               The tears that were gathering around Émilie’s eyes had finally started to cascade down her face. She grabbed her baby’s cold hand, careful with the IV continuously pumping meds into his bloodstream, softly tracing the bruises around the wrist, “Please Ade, you have to fight this! I know you can do it, sweetie! I know you…you-“ A sob interrupted her speech as Émilie could no longer hold back her despair.

* * *

 

               “This is what’s going to solve this chaos.” Master Fu was holding a black box right in front of her, and if Marinette’s hunch was correct, she already suspected what was inside.

               Trembling fingers carefully picked the box from the old master’s hands. Breathing ceased to be an automatic function for the bluenette, as she took in the details from the seemingly inconspicuous box. Blue eyes had stopped blinking in shock. Slowly, the teen opened the box, almost immediately blinded by the pink light emanating from it.

               Before she could even say a word, a red blur sped towards her face, “Oh, thank God you’re alright! I was afraid he had hurt you!”

               “Tikki…” She whispered not being able to choose a reaction from the mess that was her head right now.

               Tikki swayed in the air before collapsing in her hands, “TIKKI?!” The bluenette screamed in terror, before looking around the ICU, suddenly aware of her surroundings, “What happened to her?”

               “She’s exhausted, the wish takes a great toll on them,” Master Fu sighed, “Fortunately, it’s nothing that can’t be fixed with some food.” He started taking out a few chocolate chips from his satchel, “I believe these are her favourite?”

               Marinette could only nod, confused by all these recent developments, “You said that she can fix this? Adrien?” She pointed at the glass window, revealing the sleeping boy and his crying mother at his side.

               “It’s still not certain, I’ve never seen this before, but from the information that I heard concerning Chat Noir’s health, the infection he has… It will not go away with simple meds, you see, its cause is magical, so it only seems logical that the solution was to be magical as well. The Ladybug miraculous is capable of many things. As the Cat ring is the only capable of destroying the other miraculous, the earrings can restore them. I believe that if we fix the peacock brooch, the curse affecting Adrien will vanish. In other words, we might be able to cure Adrien.”

               Marinette gasped, there was hope, after all, he would be alright, they would be alright! “Of course, he will still have all his other injuries and some of the effects of the infection,” Her smile faltered at the wise man words, “so we need to act now if we manage to stop the infection, he is most likely to survive.”

* * *

 

               Eventually, Marinette was able to stand. Eventually, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. She and Master Fu were able to sneak into a secluded room.

               In the meantime, Tikki had regained her strength, although she still needed to rest before she was to be fully healed from the strain she was subjected to.

               Yet, they didn’t have time to rest. Perhaps when everything was fixed, she and Plagg could finally be together, side by side along with their chosen. But right now, … Right now, she needed to do one final favour for the ones she cared. If she failed, Marinette would be devastated. From what little information she had heard, Adrien would not survive, they didn’t know how much time he had left. From what little she knew of him, either from Marinette’s endless lovesick daydreams or from what little she talked to Plagg during these last few months, Tikki knew he was fighting, it was just that his body had given up already.

               _He might only have a few hours left…_ Her vision swayed.

               The ladybug kwami sighed. She was still weak, but she could handle it. If she failed, Marinette would be devastated. Worse than that, Plagg would be shattered. He tried not to get close to his kittens since they always died too soon, bad luck would always catch up to them. It finally caught up to his youngest chosen. And she knew how much Plagg cared for the boy…

               “Tikki…” The kwami looked sadly at Marinette, “I’m so sorry for not waiting for you to recover…” Her own chosen cried. It was always a sight the red kwami wished she would no longer see. When her ladybugs had their hearts broken. When they looked at her in despair for some kind of fix the kwami was not sure she would be able to provide.

               She smiled weakly at the teenager, “It’s okay, Marinette… I will always support you… You know you can count on me for everything!” She comforted her.

* * *

 

               Her exhaustion had finally caught up. Émilie was sitting in a chair right next to her son, still holding his cold hand. Her upper body was slumped in Adrien’s bed, with her face resting against the crook of the comatose boy’s neck.

               Suddenly, a shrill beep resonated through the room, jerking her awake.

               She looked at the heart monitor connected to Adrien, which was beeping loudly and unsteadily. Irregular spikes could be seen in the monitor, and the blonde woman pressed the blue button next to his bed in a panic.

               A few seconds later a team of doctors and nurses rushed inside the small room, gathering around the teen in a frenzy. She was rushed outside the room by a young nurse, while the medical team inside kept shouting orders at each other.

* * *

 

               “Tikki spots on!” The bluenette felt the usually calming pink light envelop her body. She looked at her gloved hands, a sense of relief washed through her, as she was finally back to her old superhero persona.

* * *

 

               Green eyes were practically glued to the room in front of them. The nurses had shut the binders, but Émilie could still hear what was happening inside. The machines kept frantically beeping, and the doctors kept shouting. VF they said initially. She then heard the terrifying shocks from the defibrillator being administered. It was just like in the ambulance, she would never forget that horrible sound and the burnt smell that spread afterwards.

               Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, dreadful words were pronounced from inside, her knees buckled, and she fell to the floor. The same nurse that had stayed with her was now trying to calm her down, but how could she when inside they were saying that her baby’s heart had stopped, when the only sound she was now hearing was the continuous beep from the machines and the occasional shocks.

* * *

 

               Ladybug opened the black box and a blue light emanated from it. A sleeping kwami fell to her hands. The blue peacock was trembling, it didn’t react to anything or anyone in the room.

               “What do I do now?” Her gaze drifted to the other person inside the small storage room.

               “Now, just like you purify an Akuma, you purify the miraculous. Concentrate your mind, focus your will to what you’re about to do. Tikki will help you.”

               She nodded in determination. The heroine slowly opened her yoyo. Shuddering, she gripped the damaged brooch, trapping it inside her weapon. She forcefully closed her eyes, thinking about all of what had happened since she became the saviour of Paris. Letting her mind be filled with the wonderful blonde boy, who had already filled her heart, and his broken family.

               In a fresh wave of energy and resolution, she finally ordered, “I free you from evil!”

               A white light blinded the two occupants in the room.

* * *

 

               The shocks and the orders stopped abruptly. Only the continuous daunting beep was heard until also that was shut down. Émilie heard murmurs from inside, although she could not discern what they were saying.

               Ultimately, two doctors opened the door. Their tired faces already revealing what had happened.

               “N-No… no….” She gasped for air. “It can’t be…” She shouted, no longer managing to stand.

               “We’re so sorry, Mrs Agreste… We tried everything… his health was very fragile…” They kept speaking, but Émilie could no longer hear them. Her baby was dead. Her baby was dead because she was alive. He went through years of suffering, of isolation, of neglect, all because of her selfishness. Gabriel had delivered the final blow, but it was her wish of trying to help more than humanly possible that has led them there.

               She finally managed to get to her feet and bypassed the doctors who were still speaking to her. The blonde woman rushed inside the eerily quiet room. The clinicians followed right behind her.

               Suddenly, the nurse that was right beside Adrien shouted, staring in shock to the bed. One of the doctors went to her side, gasping as he also noticed something. Émilie approached the bed, and her heart missed a beat as she stared at her still intubated son. Because staring back at her were two tired green eyes, remarkably similar to hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter, the angst is almost over, at least the worst part is done. Next chapter will have a long-awaited reunion and will have Adrien’s POV again!  
>  Next Chapter: The bluenette sprinted through the hospital corridors. She had to get to the room. She needed to see it with her own eyes. She only hoped that fixing the brooch had worked on fixing Adrien. It had to!  
>  Thank you so much for all the reviews, and kudos! I know I suck at keeping a schedule, but your feedback inspires me to write, so thank you!  
>  See you next chapter!


	18. How To Fight Loneliness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Émilie is relieved, Marinette runs, Adrien remembers some stuff

[Wilco - How to fight loneliness](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CAYFIpi89k)

The first thing he sensed was the solemn and strange voices. He couldn’t comprehend what they were saying, they were muffled by the constant ringing resonating inside his head.

Then a wave of coldness came crashing down upon his entire body, hitting all his nerves at once. That, however, was subsided by a touch on his arm. Although Adrien could not see who was grabbing his arm in such a strong grip, he couldn’t help but find the touch familiar… Remarkably familiar. It transported him to better times when he found himself in his mother’s arms. But that was impossible, wasn’t it? She wasn’t there. She was in a coma, trapped in his house’s basement. The coldness returned as the memory of what his father had become over the years, of what he had made him do, came back to the front of his mind.

His throat was burning, something was stuck in there, and prevented him from breathing, he felt like he was choking, although not in the same manner he had felt when his father, Hawkmoth had tried to end his life. This time he was not feeling himself fade away. It was just that something was stuck in his throat, and it didn’t seem to move, not even an inch.

Emerald eyes fluttered, battling against exhaustion to just open. Adrien was certain that he was not in the lair anymore. The smell was different. While the basement had this mouldy odour, due to all the plants and water, the room he was in had a sterile smell, clean. Was this how the afterlife smell like?

He finally managed to open his eyes, and if he was strong enough, he knew that they would widen at the woman staring in shock at him.

Adrien was alive! No moment in Émilie’s life could ever be compared to this one as relief spread wildly upon her. He was looking at her, and she knew that he had recognized her.

Mother and son did not move their gazes away from each other for what felt like an eternity. Their wordless interaction was only interrupted by the coughs emanating from Adrien’s frail body.

Coughs turned to choke sounds, and Émilie’s heart ran out of space to beat suddenly. Relief turned to panic as she witnessed her son struggling to breathe for the second time in one day. “What’s happening?” She looked pleadingly at the doctors who were now meddling with the ventilator connected directly into the teen’s lungs.

“He’s chocking with the tube.” The older doctor answered rashly.

“I thought that was supposed to help him breathe!”

“Yes, but now he’s conscious, and somehow can breathe on his own. He doesn’t need the ventilator anymore. Nurse, prepare for extraction.” The doctor ordered calmly.

“So, that’s a good sign?” The blond woman asked hoping the nightmare was almost gone.

“Mrs Agreste, I don’t know how to explain this, but it’s a very good sign!” The doctor said in excitement.

* * *

 

The bluenette sprinted through the hospital corridors. She had to get to the room. She needed to see it with her own eyes. She only hoped that fixing the brooch had worked on fixing Adrien. It had to!

Marinette came to a halt. What if it didn’t work? The miraculous seemed fine. Duusu had woken up, although she didn’t speak to her. The minute she checked that the blue kwami was in fact awakened, the bluenette darted out of the storage room towards the ICU.

She took a deep breath, her legs felt like they were made of lead from how heavy they felt. So, at a slow pace, she continued her seemingly endless journey through the corridors.

* * *

 

He kept staring at the blonde woman, who he had missed so much, as the doctors started to remove the offensive tube from his throat. Adrien could feel it sliding inside his windpipe, and despite the pain that he felt as they kept meddling with the apparatus, he could not tear his gaze from his mother.

The medical team placed an oxygen mask on his face, and he felt as if an empty, uncomfortable void had replaced the breathing tube in his throat, perhaps he had been breathing through it for too long, and his body was no longer used to breathe on its own.

How long had he been there? How long had his mother been awakened, holding his arm?

“Now, I know that your throat is aching, but I need you to speak now, can you do that, Adrien?” The old doctor distracted him from his thoughts.

Green eyes drifted downwards, towards his hands. Bandages covered his wrists, which he was certain were covering the bruises inflicted by the time he had been held captive by his father. A single tear managed to escape trailing down his face at the memory.

“Ade, sweetie? Mama is here, I’m back! Say something… Please…” His mother pleaded softly, as if afraid she might break him.

* * *

 

_“Say something… Please…” Nathalie pleaded softly, as if afraid she might break him._

_But, how could he speak? What do you say when your mother goes missing, disappears into thin air? He could not speak, because his throat had closed itself, something was blocking it. He could not think, because his entire world had crumbled down, just now._

_He had no one else. Father was always busy, Nathalie only cared because it was her job. Chloé was busy at school. So, what does a person say, when the only one who cared about them disappears?_

_His lower lip trembled, Adrien had no longer control over his body, water gathered in his eyes and his face was suddenly wet._

_“That, that d-doesn’t make any sense! H-how is that p-possible, Nathalie? No- no one disappears into… into thin air! You’re lying! You-“ He didn’t manage to finish what he was saying. His mind was racing, and his mouth could not keep up with it._

_It just didn’t make any sense! How can she be missing? Why was she missing? They had dinner together last night, she seemed fine… Had she run away? But why? Was she not happy in the mansion? Was he not enough for her? Of course, he wasn’t, how can anybody with no friends whatsoever be enough for anyone?_

_A thought, in particular, crossed his mind. Of course! Father must know where she is! He must!_

_“Where’s Father?” He rasped. His voice had become small, as the lump in his throat only seemed to have grown._

_“He’s in his office, but, Adrien, he asked not to be disturbed,” Nathalie answered._

_The teen didn’t hear the last part, as soon as he learned that father was in the study, wobbling legs guided him there._

_He could not think straight, he didn’t know how he got there, but as he’s suddenly aware of his surroundings again, he’s inside the dark study._

_“Where is she?” He rushed to his father side, who was looking at the Gustav Klimt’s inspired painting of the woman who owned both their hearts._

_“She’s gone.” He simply stated, in a coldness that ran through the young teen’s spine._

_He stood frozen, green eyes searching for any sign of emotion from his father. However, the man did not budge. He just stood there, his back turned towards his son, his hands clasped behind in fists. It was at that moment that he realized that, at the young age of thirteen years old, he had lost his mother, and soon enough he would lose his father if he hadn’t already._

_A hand rested on his shoulder, and when Adrien looked back, Nathalie was already guiding him to the prison that was his room. He ceased to function altogether. His lungs were no longer working, his legs were now too heavy to move, so they just collapsed underneath him. Breathing had stopped to be an automatic function, and he faintly heard someone screaming his name. His vision was swaying, and the edges of his vision field had now turned black._

* * *

 

God! He wanted to say something, how could he deny anything his mother asked? But he just couldn’t speak. A lump was blocking his throat, and no matter how hard he tried to fight it, he was just too exhausted.

His maman was now sitting on the bed, her delicate touch was on his arm, as she kept encouraging him to speak. His wet eyes did not drift from hers. He tried to move his arms or his legs, but they just would not budge. They were just so impossibly heavy…     

* * *

 

_When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer on the floor. He had been moved to the bed and covered by blankets. Adrien moved his knees to his chest, although he found it incredibly hard to do so._

_The room was dauntingly dark and despite the fact that Paris was now in the middle of Summer, it felt unbelievable cold._

_The teen tried to move his head or his arms, however, just like his legs, they were also too heavy to move even an inch._

_He felt a weight moving on the bed, and it was at that moment that he noticed that he wasn’t alone in the room. Nathalie was sitting right next to him, staring at him and waiting for some kind of reaction from the grieving teen._

_She rested her hand on his hair, stroking it softly, in an unprecedented gesture, when she noticed that he was awake._

_“Are you feeling better?” She trod carefully, “I’m sorry that I had to give you a sedative, but you were having a panic attack, I… didn’t know what else to do…”_

* * *

 

“Your body must be aching, your heart stopped not long ago, we only want to check if your head is okay.” The doctor explained.

Adrien inhaled a large gulp of air through his oxygen mask, mentally preparing himself to speak to the woman he had missed dearly for the last year.

* * *

 

_“Is she really gone?” He rasped, hopeful eyes searching for an answer from his father’s assistant._

* * *

 

“Are you… really here?” He rasped, his voice no louder than a wheeze.

Émilie broke down the moment she heard those words. Her own exhaustion, combined with the relief she felt at hearing her son after so long, was a deadly combo in breaking down the walls she had built in her mind in order to keep herself together.

She kissed her baby’s forehead, stroking his soft sun-kissed locks, “I am…” she sobbed, “I’m here, Ade! Everything will be alright…”

Tears were now making fat trails down the faces of both mother and son. Émilie lightly rested her head on the crook of Adrien’s neck, feeling his constant pulse, another proof that he was okay.

“Mom…” her son breathed, which caused the blonde woman to snap her head to look at him in the eyes, “I’m sorry… I hurt people… friends…” His frail voice was rambling, muttering apologies, backed up by the sincere regret in his emerald eyes.

The blonde woman could never be prouder of her son. Despite everything that had been done to him, he was still prioritizing other people’s happiness over his, when others would have simply given up. “Sweetie, you don’t have to apologize. None of this is your fault.” She kept stroking his hair, “I am so proud of the young man you had become. What you did for me, for your friends… your friends… they told me what happened, what Gabriel made you do. You were always so kind, so strong… I only wish I could have stayed and watched you grow, I never wanted to leave you,” Her voice quivered, “I promise you will never be alone again. You have me, you have your friends, who are just outside waiting to see you…”

Suddenly, as if summoned by her words, the door to the small ICU room opened, revealing a frantic Marinette, who was breathing heavily, as if she had just run a marathon inside the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter! This one had a few flashbacks as I wanted to contrast the moment Adrien learned his mother had gone missing with their reencounter. My headcanon is that Nathalie was the one to break the news to Adrien.  
> Next chapter: “You are too important to me! Promise me you will never pull a stunt like that ever again!” She said overcoming her stuttering.  
> See you next chapter!!


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